Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 27 October (BelTA) – The CIS member states have managed to minimize the impact of the global financial and economic challenges, CIS Executive Secretary, Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee Sergei Lebedev said at the second CIS international finance and banking forum Minsk Business Meetings on 27 October, BelTA has learned.

Sergei Lebedev noted that the countries of the CIS adopted a joint action plan to address the current financial and economic issues in 2015. The meeting of the CIS Heads of Government Council will review the status of its implementation in Minsk on 28 October. “This plan has helped us minimize the negative impact of the global financial and economic challenges,” the CIS Executive Secretary stressed.

Speaking about the near-term goals for the CIS, he cited the CIS summit held in September in Bishkek. At the summit, the CIS heads of state took a decision to adjust the CIS activities to the present-day realities. “It was an important decision. The situation in the world is changing, and, of course, any association, including an integration entity, must adjust its activities to meet the new realities. We will be doing this,” he said.

Sergei Lebedev noted that the implementation of this decision will require a major collaborative effort, coordinated work of all bodies of the CIS Executive Committee, and also sectoral councils. Enhancement of the CIS will be one of the priorities for Russia in its capacity as the CIS Chair in 2017.

The second CIS international finance and banking forum Minsk Business Meetings is running in Belarus on 26-29 October. It has brought together representatives of government bodies, banking and business bodies of the CIS member states and international development institutions, including from Europe and Asia.

The forum is set to discuss new challenges and opportunities for the CIS banking systems, the development of financial and banking markets of the CIS member states, the measures for overcoming the crisis in the banking sector, development of the common insurance market, and creation of conditions for investment cooperation in the CIS.