Expert RA

Voronezh area attracted 93 bln rubles in investments

July 1, 2008

The First investment forum took place in Voronezh, organized by the Expert RA rating agency together with the Voronezh area administration.

The forum “Regional partnership – competitive Russia” attracted over two thousand participants from 33 subjects of the RF and 15 foreign countries. According to the organizers, as distinct from large-scale forums with global economic problems on the agenda, regional cooperation was topical at the Voronezh forum. Speaking at the forum plenary session, Vladimir Kulakov, Voronezh area governor mentioned the need to set inter-regional economic clusters in certain branches of industry and agriculture. “Every region is interested in developing its economy, and the competition spirit is unavoidable, but we have to balance our wishes and possibilities”, - said Vladimir Kulakov.

41 agreements and 1 contract were signed at the forum for over 93 bln rubles. Construction of a cement plant in Podgorensky district with an annual output of 2.5 mln tons was one of the largest deals at the forum – investments equaled 15 bln rubles. Iliushin Finance Co leasing company signed a contract with United Aircraft Building Company to supply regional planes An-148-100 manufactured by Voronezh joint-stock aircraft building company, the deal exceeding one billion dollars. During the forum a ceremonious laying of a memorial stone at Voronezh Thermal Power Station-2 took place, which is to be renovated in 2009 with total cost of the project to be 3.5 bln rubles and total energy output to be increased by 10 times. A plant to build small houses with capacity 30 thousand square meters of housing per year was also commissioned during the forum.

At the forum plenary session Vladimir Kulakov, Voronezh area governor, and Valery Fadeev, Expert editor-in-chief and director of Institute of Public Design (non-commercial organization) signed an agreement to implement in Voronezh area a project Russian House of the Future. Thus, Voronezh area will be a testing ground to promote an investment project Russian House of the Future in the framework of a priority national project Accessible and Comfortable Housing – to Citizens of Russia.

Sergey Kurilo, deputy head of the local administration on economy, finance and investments, informed about a number of large investment agreements with the town administration being either a participant or a third party: production of cardboard and paper, agriculture equipment, housing development, cooperation with the Center of international industrial cooperation UNIDO.

The forum hosted several round tables: “Agro-industrial regional complex: growth territory”, “Transport-logistic functions in Voronezh area – prospects of development”, “Middle class housing”, and “Main priorities for regional innovation systems”; discussions covered problems of innovation investments, regional innovation system mechanisms, state support of innovation activity in the RF.

The forum presented Voronezh area resources and investment projects by demonstrating the region investment potential. “Within a week we plan to gather all the project initiators, presented at the forum (over 50 projects totaled 100 bln rubles). Then we consolidate information on the projects of interest to investors and start implementing them”, - said Sergey Kurilo.