Cross-regional cooperation strengthens integration across the Commonwealth, says Valentina Matvienko

The Forum will take place in the second half 2016. It will be a joint effort of the CIS Execom and the IPA CIS. The overarching purpose of the forum will be to specify the role of the regions in integration processes led by the Eurasian Union, the Customs Union, etc.

The Forum is expected to include a dialogue on practices of cross-regional cooperation, legal aspects, promoting cross-border ties, bi-lateral and multi-lateral formats of cooperation.

The session considered the concept document of the forum.

In his speech at the session, Alexey Sergeev, IPA CIS Secretary General, proposed two possible venues – the Tavricheskiy Palace and the VDNKH facility in Moscow. He noted that the agenda of the forum must include items on specific subjects of cross-regional cooperation and possible issues.