SPIEF 2025 deepens Egypt-Russia strategic partnership - Economy
Russia underscored its deepening strategic partnership with Egypt during the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), highlighting their ongoing cooperation as a cornerstone of Moscow's engagement with the Arab world.
Since Egypt's designation as the forum's guest country in 2022, bilateral relations between both nations have expanded significantly across energy, infrastructure, investment, and education.
This marked Cairo as a key partner in Russia's vision for a balanced and multipolar global economy.
"The collaboration with Egypt continues to serve as a model for regional cooperation rooted in mutual respect and shared interests," Anton Kobyakov, advisor to the president of the Russian Federation and executive secretary of the SPIEF organizing committee, said at the forum's final press conference.
He emphasized that Russia remains committed to fostering ties with Arab states — including Bahrain, the 2025 guest country, and Saudi Arabia, which will hold the role in 2026 — as part of its broader strategy to enhance connectivity across the Global South.
Kobyakov also praised Egypt's pivotal role in building consensus on economic sovereignty and its contributions to joint initiatives launched during and after its guest country status.
'Egypt has proven to be a reliable and visionary partner,' he noted. 'Our cooperation reflects the core values of SPIEF—shared growth, balanced dialogue, and regional inclusion.'
This year's forum, held under the theme 'Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World,' brought together global stakeholders committed to forging new paths of economic cooperation independent of unilateral Western influence.
Organized by the Roscongress Foundation, SPIEF 2025 reinforced its reputation as the premier annual platform for international economic policy discussions.
Kobyakov reported that 1,060 agreements were signed during the forum, totaling 6.3 trillion rubles (approximately $83 billion).
The programme included 350 official sessions, 24 high-level bilateral economic dialogues, 30 sports events, and 18 cultural competitions, demonstrating the forum's comprehensive nature as both a diplomatic and socio-economic platform.
With participants from 140 countries and regions, SPIEF 2025 featured the presence of heads of state, ministers, multinational business executives, sovereign wealth funds, and representatives from over 220 educational institutions.
The international youth initiative, 'Friends of Leadership,' drew participants from over 60 countries, working alongside UN-affiliated organizations to shape the next generation's perspectives on global governance.
Kobyakov announced that St. Petersburg will host a new International Transport and Logistics Forum in 2026, reinforcing Russia's focus on securing resilient and autonomous global trade networks.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of emerging technologies and regional cooperation frameworks, particularly BRICS and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), in adapting to a shifting geopolitical landscape.
'The future of global trade lies in the rise of self-reliant macro-regions,' Kobyakov said.
'Those with production, energy, and food security—anchored in political sovereignty—will be best positioned to navigate global instability,' he concluded.
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