Moscow at the Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum

The Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow took part in the 17th International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum,” held from May 12 to 17 in Kazan. The trip was organized by the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, with the support of the Moscow Centre for International Cooperation.

The forum helped strengthen trade, economic, scientific, technical, social, and cultural ties between the Russian Federation and the countries of the Islamic world. Moscow presented its achievements in integrated territorial development, digitalization, and business support. The capital also shared successful practices in cooperation with the Middle East and North Africa. The countries of the Islamic world are promising partners for Moscow, as they possess significant investment potential, are implementing large‑scale modernisation and development programmes, and are interested in the technological, infrastructural, and managerial solutions that Moscow employs.

On the eve of the Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum, the Ak Bars Golf Club hosted a three‑way match between teams from Moscow, Kazan, and the Republic of Tatarstan. The event was organized by the Regional Public Organisation “Golf Federation of Moscow,” with participants from business and regional communities.

As part of the business programme, Department representatives spoke at several key sessions. During the discussion “Humanitarian Presence in the Islamic World – New Tools,” the Moscow delegation noted that the capital maintains cooperation with more than 100 regions and partner cities abroad. Moscow has signed over 100 bilateral documents with foreign countries, including states of the Islamic world. Cross‑cultural projects play a huge role in humanitarian cooperation – for example, “Moscow Days.” The rich programme of events traditionally includes concerts, exhibitions, business meetings, expert discussions, masterclasses, sports tournaments, and presentations of Moscow projects. In April this year, Moscow Days were held in Algeria. Interaction between the capital and international partners is mutually beneficial. In 2025, the United Arab Emirates presented its culture and traditions at the large‑scale “UAE Culture Days” festival on Manezhnaya Square in Moscow, and reciprocal events are planned for 2026 in cooperation with Algerian colleagues.

Cooperation also takes place at the prefecture level. For many years, Moscow’s districts have been interacting with Turkey’s Antalya and districts of Istanbul. The parties organise youth sports tournaments: in July 2025, at the Arena Chertanovo stadium, friendly football matches were held between youth teams of the Chertanovo Sports Boarding School and Demre Belediyespor as part of international youth sports exchange. In July 2024, the “Friendship Tournament” was successfully held in Antalya, where the Chertanovo Sports Boarding School team played against Turkish teams U13 and DSI U13.

During the discussion “International Humanitarian Cooperation and Intercultural Interaction,” participants discussed youth policy and diplomacy. The Moscow delegation noted that more than 3.2 million people aged 14 to 35 live in Moscow. One of the key principles of Moscow’s youth policy is youth participation in decision‑making and priority‑setting, with sports and physical culture serving as an important means of strengthening mutual understanding and developing contacts.

DVMIS representatives presented Moscow’s export potential during the Trade and Industry Dialogue “Russia – the Arab World.” Trade turnover with friendly countries in the Middle East and North Africa is growing steadily. In particular, at the end of 2025, trade turnover between Moscow‑based companies and partners from Saudi Arabia increased by 137.8% compared to 2024, reaching $2.3 billion. Cooperation with the Middle East and North Africa is moving from quantitative growth in trade turnover to deeper diversification. While previously the focus was on increasing supply volumes, today the emphasis is shifting to launching joint projects, expanding technology exports, establishing contacts with new partners such as Qatar, and building long‑term cooperation.

Moscow showcased its achievements not only in the business programme but also at the exhibition. During a tour of the “Russia & Islamic World Cooperation Expo” booths, Sergey Cheremin, Minister of the Government of Moscow and Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations, presented the large‑scale multimedia exposition to Marat Khusnullin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, and Rustam Minnikhanov, Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan. The Moscow Government booth was dedicated to the city’s policies in eco‑friendly transport, energy‑efficient solutions, scientific projects, and urban improvement. A central theme was the balance between preserving historical heritage and modernization. Moscow is developing dynamically while respecting its cultural code and architectural memory and is therefore ready to share best practices in this field. Special attention was paid to urban digital services and smart technologies, particularly the Moscow Digital Twin project.

On the forum’s sidelines, meetings were held aimed at expanding international contacts and identifying new areas for mutually beneficial cooperation with partners in the Middle East, North Africa, and Greater Eurasia. In particular, talks took place with Izzet Ekmekçibaşı, Chairman of the Turkish‑Russian Business Council of Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK); Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Deputy Minister of Economy and Tourism; and Noureddine Ouadah, Minister of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro‑Enterprises of Algeria. The stand of the Government of Moscow was also visited by Shahin Mustafayev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as ambassadors from Oman, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam.

Participation in KazanForum 2026 allowed Moscow to strengthen existing contacts, present promising areas of cooperation, expand dialogue with partners from the Islamic world, and lay the groundwork for new joint projects. For the Russian capital, KazanForum is a space for strategic dialogue where Moscow positions itself as a modern metropolis open to partnership, technology exchange, and the development of sustainable humanitarian ties.