SPIEF 2026 gets underway

St PETERSBURG: The 29th edition of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), engaging over 130 countries in various brainstorming over 4 days, began at the ExpoForum Exhibition and Convention Center on Wednesday.

Organised by the Roscongress Foundation under the auspices of Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, is the nation’s premier business event and a geopolitical and economic tool for consolidating Russia's global orientation towards the Global South.

'This year’s meeting theme, ‘Pragmatic Dialogue: The Path to a Stable Future, directly reflects the critical challenges of the present times when international relations and economic ties are facing unprecedented challenges, divisions, and disruptions in supply chains and technology, pragmatism and dialogue based on equality are becoming more urgent and important than ever, the Forum reminded.

A series of detailed discussions are lined up in the Forum where the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the guest of honour and its agenda directly reflects profound changes in the global economy and shifts in established mechanisms of international cooperation.

The forum's theme is ‘Pragmatic Dialogue: The Path to a Stable Future.’ The official business programme is divided into four main thematic areas: the global economy: a new platform for global growth; the Russian economy: a new level of growth; technology: the pursuit of leadership; and humanity in the new world.

In addition, the event includes more than 15 bilateral dialogues with countries and regional blocs, along with the Roscongress International Cooperation platform and the SPIEF Investment and Business Exhibition. The SPIEF Junior Forum will conclude the event on June 6.

The opening ceremony also featured a message from the Russian President Vladimir Putin welcoming the guests to the forum emphasising that “the forum would discuss the most pressing issues facing the Russian and global economies.”

Over the four days, the forum will have discussions titled 'Trust in financial reporting as a prerequisite for the development if BRICS capital markets' and 'Water cooperation, water as a factor of sustainable development' and the like where experts and government representatives like SPIEF Director Alexey Valkov and G. Velikikh, Deputy Director for Expert and Analytical Work, Roscongress Foundation over the days.