Rustam Minnikhanov: Russia is expanding economic ties with the Islamic world, including at the regional level

On October 30, at the opening ceremony, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov welcomed the participants of the annual Global Islamic Economy Summit, which has started in Dubai (the UAE).

He welcomed the participants on behalf of the Muslim Ummah of the Russian Federation, which counts over 20 million people.

Minnikhanov said that since 2014, on the instructions of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, he has been heading the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group, which consists of more than 56 experts from 28 countries. “Among the main tasks of the Group are to facilitate the process of bringing Russia with the Islamic world closer on a cultural and civilizational basis, to establish the economic cooperation and expand the interaction of youth and public organizations,” he noted.

He also emphasized that the Russian Federation is a multinational country with unique experience of positive interaction with representatives of different nationalities and religions and the construction of a civilization connecting East and West, Asia and Europe. “Islam is a remarkable and integral element of the Russian cultural code,” Minnikhanov said.

Speaking about Tatarstan, he said that it is one of the Russian regions, where a large number of Muslim people are concentrated. “Our ancestors voluntarily adopted Islam in 922. Today, Tatarstan, being one of the leading and innovative Russian regions, is at the forefront of interaction with foreign companies and investors. Our republic has established good mutually beneficial relations in the economic and cultural areas with many Islamic countries,” he said.

According to Tatarstan President, the republic successfully cooperates with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic Development Bank. The work on development of the Islamic finance sector, the halal industry and establishment of the International Centre for Islamic Finance in Kazan is underway.

At the end of the official part of the Forum, Minnikhanov together with Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori visited the specialized exhibition organized on the sidelines of the forum. The stand of Tatarstan was dedicated to the International Economic Summit “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanSummit”, which is the main venue of economic cooperation between Russia and the countries of the Islamic world.