October 15, 2009

The Okrug Governor’s press-service informs:

Governor of Ugra Alexander Filipenko today had a meeting with the group of Canadian Senators - members of the Canada’s Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and  International Trade.

The head of the region told about social and economic development of Ugra, history of interrelations between Canada and Ugra: "Our close and fruitful cooperation with regional authorities, especially of the province Alberta, and Canadian companies have been carried out for over 15 years. Historically northern territories are similar by economic features and climatic conditions. We have much in common: production and refinery of oil and gas, development of timber complex, indigenous peoples".

The head of the Canadian delegation, Senator Consiglio Di Nino  was impressed by friendliness and hospitality of people of the Autonomous Okrug. "Ugra and Canada has much in common indeed. Today’s visit will strengthen our further contacts in investment and cultural spheres. Jointly we can do much for the favourable development of our territories therefore we shall  exchange experience, knowledge and deepen relations in the future".

At the meeting with senators Governor determined basic spheres of possible cooperation: "We would like to see interest towards all branches of economy: from credit and financial sphere to mining."

We are beginning the great project "Ural Industrial - Ural Polar". The sphere of services is free for initiative and experienced Canadians. We have great expectations in actively developing power engineering. While the nearest five years we should increase the generation of electric power by 1,5 times what is necessary for our internal needs and for neighboring regions". The head of the region said about achievements of Ugra in the system of modern telecommunications. There is our own regional satellite TV  in the Autonomous Okrug which needs in constant modernization to make a high-quality product from international sorts, cultural and political events.

"For the last five years much attention has been paid in the Okrug to the development of tourism. Canadians took part in the creation of the material base of this branch of economy, for example, in the construction of hotels. Today it is necessary to activate and use the potential of tourist industry what will make it possible to get acquainted with people and cities of Canada and Ugra and to close maximally our peoples", - said Governor.

The head of the region is confident that the Senators’ visit will serve an additional impulse to mutually beneficial study of social and economic development of the territories and renewal of   active relations.

The goal of the senators’ visit to Russia is to get acquainted with the BRIC countries and the visit to the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug takes place in compliance with recommendations of the Canadian Embassy in Moscow.

October 15, 2009

The Okrug Governor’s press-service informs:

Today the delegation of Canadian senators works in Khanty-Mansiysk. The guests got acquainted with the infrastructure of Ugra.

Directors of the regional departments of construction, economic policy, science and investments in their presentations told about basic macro-economic parameters and avenues of the strategy of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug development till 2020, investment attraction of the region and mechanisms and forms of potential investors support.

Director of the Department of Science and Investments of the Autonomous Okrug Anton Ladnov said that in Ugra there was a register of 84 priority projects. Among the most significant and interesting projects there is the project of creating a pulp and paper plant, production of highly-pure quartz concentrate, used in micro-electronics and light industry. The program of complex oil refinery and associate gas processing is also important. "To attract and support investors there were developed in Ugra mechanisms of compensation of the bank interest rate partially for loans, subsidizing of engineer communications construction while the complex housing construction, and granting of the Okrug guarantees. The Regional center of investments was launched. At present the draft law on public and private partnerships is being prepared. Besides,   the venture fund is expected to be created next year", - he emphasized.

Representatives of the Canadian delegation were interested in the project.  Senators’ attention was paid to the development of fishing tourism in the region, participation in solving environmental problems, construction of good roads. Besides, the guests were interested in the events regarding the indigenous peoples. The parties expressed hope that further experience exchange  would result in extra partnerships and mutually beneficial cooperation.

October 15, 2009

The Okrug Governor’s press-service informs:

The Canadian senators got acquainted today with the work of the System of natural resources management  in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug.

Deputy Chairman of the Ugra Government for subsurface  management and fuel-energy sector Vladimir Karasev paid the guests’ attention to the fact that the System of natural resources management was the analogue of the Alberta Provincial Service of Resources Conservation. Cooperation of Russian and Canadian specialists in subsurface management was started in 1993 and North-Canada experience was successfully adapted in the North of Russia. Information exchange, specialists’ training, practical participation in the creation of the System of natural resources management  - an incomplete list of projects and interests. At present - creation of joint ventures primarily in associate petroleum gas processing.

The director of the research analytical center of rational subsurface management named after V.I. Shpilman made a presentation - Ugra is behind only Saudi Arabia in term of oil production (12,2 % and 7,7 % of the world oil production).

Peter Stollery said that their group had recently finished the survey of the situation in Africa because of  the situation with prices for oil. In their report they stated that they had seen many people who had stolen billions of USD. "They did nothing for their countries which had no development and that resulted in the catastrophe. On this background out positive impressions from the visit to Khanty-Mansiysk are doubled".

He was supported by his colleague Dennis Dawson who stated that he was pleased with the way how the revenues from oil are distributed for the benefit of local population, for the development of the territory and economy, creation of fundamentals of diversification, told by Governor Alexander Filipenko at the morning meeting.

The senators were interested in the structure of revenues, their distribution among the budgets of different levels, well-being of future citizens at the expense of natural resources. They were satisfied with the information that the regional budget had a clear social orientation and that while the creation of the Generations Foundation the world experience was used, for example, Alberta’s experience.

The meeting in the System of natural resources management was finished with a tour around the kern storage. Here Canadians could see the wealth Ugra is possessed of and prospects for business of North America.