Moscow, Russia – June 21, 2025 – (SeaPRwire) – The session “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth”, based on the results of the Open Dialogue of the Russia National Centre, opened the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum business program on June 18.
Recognised international experts from Russia, Cameroon, Spain, Azerbaijan, and Canada, as well as authors of the best essays from the Open Dialogue, participated in the discussion.
Speakers discussed the changing world order, Africa’s potential, and trends in the future economy, including demographic changes and the implementation of breakthrough technologies.
“This year, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is taking place against turbulent world events. This includes the situation in the Middle East and trade wars. Much time will be devoted to this current agenda at the forum. We must not forget which long-term trends and challenges led to the current situation, which trends are basic and defining. It is important to conduct an open dialogue about how we build the world of the future and how to form a new platform for global growth. In which countries does this global growth occur, on which technologies will it be built, and on which principles and cultural code? Our task is to ensure that forward movement benefits people in all countries that, like Russia, are working on the future. It is through open dialogue that our future and its understanding are built,” emphasised Maxim Oreshkin.
A speaker from Spain, Juan Antonio de Castro de Arespacochaga, a doctor of economics and professor at Complutense University of Madrid, delivered a report on how the global majority of countries are changing reality.
“Today, most countries are not just participating in global processes – they are changing reality. We see how an increasingly flexible and multipolar world order is forming. World trade is becoming fragmented, fast, and technological, while the international system is becoming a network of preferential agreements, which distorts the principles laid down in the foundation of GATT and WTO,” noted Juan Antonio de Castro de Arespacochaga.
One of the main discussion topics was: “Africa – driver of the future economic order.” Chairman of the African Advisory Council Francois Ndengwe noted that demographic growth is transforming Africa into the future cradle of the global workforce.
“This is not just statistics – this is human capital that can become a new driver of global growth. Those who invest in education today and build universities in Africa will tomorrow shape markets and set the game’s rules together with Africa,” said Francois Ndengwe.
Sergei Ivanov, Executive Director and Member of the EFKO Group board of Directors, spoke about the business’s new responsibility in the modern world. The expert emphasised that business today is not just a profit generator but an active participant in social transformations.
“What projects and technologies should we invest in today? Investment criteria are three conditions: qualitatively improving human life, being produced in harmony with nature, and being accessible, at a minimum, having mass potential. But what’s more important is not only what you produce, but also in what culture you do it. In 2012, the president spoke words that I’ve been quoting often lately. He said that the great mission of Russians is to unite, to bind civilisation with culture, language, and universal responsiveness. And so we try to build our culture and our ethics around this very universal responsiveness. To build capitalism with a human face,” said Sergei Ivanov.
Another session’s focus, “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth”, was on breakthrough technologies. As noted by Yuri Kozarenko, General Director of “Transport of the Future” LLC, today, automation has reached a level where robots create robots for the production of goods and services for humans.
“This year has become significant, showing a leap in the technological development of artificial intelligence. Several centres, schools, and institutes have been opened in China to train robots in various specialities. We in Russia, in turn, are opening robot training centres based in the Samara region and Moscow, including the Institute of Unmanned Systems. We teach robots to bring social benefit in an economically efficient way,” emphasised Yuri Kozarenko.
The expert added that technological innovations today directly affect social spheres, for example, helping to solve the demographic crisis.
During the session, participants also discussed the report on the results of the Open Dialogue prepared by the Centre for Cross-Industry Expertise “Third Rome.” The conclusions of the session “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth” became the foundation for the subsequent business program of SPIEF-2025. The session “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth” recording can be viewed on the Russia National Centre website.
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