Russia Presented Best Practices in Sustainable Development and the Voluntary Local Review of the Republic of Tatarstan at the UN Political Forum
The event was held with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the UN in New York, MGIMO University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UN Information Center in Moscow, the Republic of Tatarstan, and the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Relations with International Organizations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, Mr. Boris Titov.
The event was opened by Mr. Alexey Borisov, First Deputy Chair of UNA-Russia, Vice President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations, and Head of the UNESCO Chair at MGIMO. In his opening remarks, he emphasized the importance of discussing national and regional achievements in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Two key documents were presented during the session:
The first document — “The Russian Federation and Sustainable Development: Overview of Achievements and Initiatives by Regions, Business, and Civil Society (2020–2025)” (link), was prepared by UNA-Russia and MGIMO, with contributions from the National ESG Alliance, the UN Global Compact Network Russia, the Stolypin Institute for Economic Growth, and supported by the UN Information Center in Moscow. The report was implemented as part of the “Priority 2030” program and is included among the key initiatives of the Russian Public Committee for the 80th Anniversary of the UN (UN-80 Committee). It was presented by Mr. Boris Titov and Professor Igor Yurgens, Director of the MGIMO Center for Sustainable Development and ESG Transformation, who highlighted the comprehensive cross-sectoral collaboration and the involvement of leading academic and business institutions.
The second document — Voluntary Local Review of the Republic of Tatarstan – 2025, was developed within the long-term UNA-Russia program “Regions of Russia and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.” It was presented by Ms. Taliya Minullina, Head of the Investment Development Agency of the Republic of Tatarstan. In her speech, she highlighted the region’s strategic approach to achieving the SDGs and reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable development principles.
The reports showcase concrete and proven solutions in key areas such as energy, digitalization, education, employment, climate, and more. They vividly demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral cooperation in ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainable development. The accumulated experience can be scaled and adapted in other countries, making a meaningful contribution to the global achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Welcome addresses were delivered by:
● Mr. Dmitry Chumakov, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN in New York;
● Mr. Sébastien Vauzelle, Head of the UN Local2030 Coalition Secretariat;
● Mr. Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Center in Moscow.
Participants in the expert session included:
● Professor Kapitolina Turbina, Head of the Department of Risk Management and Insurance at MGIMO;
● Ms. Natalya Dorpeko, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Russia;
● Mr. Andrey Sharonov, General Director of the National ESG Alliance;
● Ms. Irina Bakhtina, Deputy General Director for Sustainable Development, EN+ Group;
● Mr. Ivan Barsola, Executive Director of the ESG Directorate at Sberbank of Russia;
● Mr. Yevgeny Khilinsky, Vice President – Head of the Center for Sustainable Development Principles Implementation at Gazprombank;
● Ms. Tatyana Naumova, Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of the City of Moscow;
● Mr. Dmitry Vaskov, Director of the Department of International Relations of the Sverdlovsk Region;
● Mr. Mikhail Terentyev, Chairman of the All-Russian Society of Disabled People and Member of the State Duma;
● Mr. Andrey Cheshev, Deputy General Director of the Vernadsky Nongovernmental Environmental Foundation;
● Ms. Larisa Zelentsova, Founder and President of the Interregional Charity Organization “Sail of Hope.”
Significant support in preparing both documents and organizing the event was provided by Ms. Evgenia Kondrakhina, Adviser and Deputy Chair of the UNA-Russia Commission on Sustainable Development, and Ms. Anna Kuchava, International Projects Coordinator of UNA-Russia.
In conclusion, Mr. Alexey Borisov expressed gratitude to all participants for the high-level and substantive discussion, emphasizing that the reports and practices presented demonstrate Russia’s steady progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda. The initiatives serve as a solid foundation for continued experience exchange, strengthened cooperation, and the scaling of best sustainable development practices both nationally and internationally — including through the UN platform.
24.07.2025
