About the Middle East Session of the V International Conference “The World Majority in New Realities”

The session titled “Middle East Countries and the New Financial and Economic World Order: the Region's Potential, Prospects of Interaction With the Russian Federation” was organized in the context of the project activities carried out by the School of Regional Studies aimed at developing practical proposals on this topic. The moderator of the section was Professor, Head of the Middle Eastern and North African Studies Section of the School of Regional Studies at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs of HSE University, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Russian Diplomats, Dr. A.G. Baklanov.

The preparation and conduct of the session saw active participation from respected Russian scholars, including Academician, Academic Supervisor of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Joint Department with RAS Institute of Oriental Studies at HSE University, Dr. V.V. Naumkin; Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Middle East Studies Sector at the National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Dr. I.D. Zvyagelskaya; Deputy Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dr. V.A. Kuznetsov, and others.

The discussion also involved international representatives, including the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Yemen to the Russian Federation, a prominent political and public figure, Ahmed Salem Al Waheishi; General Director of the Pakistan House – International Think Tank, Member of the Valdai Club, Muhammad Athar Javed, and others.

Among the active participants of the session were international relations specialists with extensive practical experience in the Middle East direction, including Ambassador, V.Yu. Smirnov; responsible staff member of the Apparatus of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, N.A. Kartsev; and the renowned Russian diplomat and Arabist, I.A. Matveev.

Representing the scientific student community and participants of the School of Regional Studies’ project, President of the Middle East Club, Y.R. Shingarev, delivered a presentation.

The discussed topics generated significant interest, and after the allocated time for the session’s work had ended, it was decided to continue the discussion, which lasted for several more hours. In total, more than 20 people took part in the discussion. The meeting was attended by students and postgraduate students from HSE University and other higher education institutions.

The outcome of the session’s work was a substantial advancement in the development of three position papers: a project for the National Strategy of the Russian Federation for the New Financial and Economic Order, proposals for the fundamental elements of the draft international Strategy of Actions to establish a new financial and economic order, and a draft concept for shaping a new geopolitical reality – the space of Asia and the Middle East.

Participants of the discussion expressed their support for continuing research on this topic in the format that has evolved during the preparation and conduct of the section meeting.