Suspension of activities in the US, Sabantuys in Asia — how Tatarstan’s representative offices to work in 2023

Photo: realnoevremya.ru/Maksim Platonov (archive)

“There is a representative office in the USA, but it does not function”

Despite the continuation of the line of interaction, geopolitical changes still played a role in the activities of trade and economic missions. The indicators of their assessment in 2022 and 2023 have a number of changes with both positive and negative dynamics. In many countries that have imposed or supported sanctions, some of the areas of cooperation have changed or disappeared altogether. At the same time, some of the same states continue to export Tatarstan products to their market, increasing the number of enterprises covered. These mainly include European countries that were involved in the introduction of restrictions against mastodons of the republican industry: KAMAZ PJSC, Kazan Helicopters JSC, Ak Bars Shipbuilding Corporation JSC in Zelenodolsk, Zelenodolsk Design Bureau JSC, Kazan Optical and Mechanical Plant JSC and others.

However, not all of these countries are ready to compromise and build relationships. Someone just stopped at the achieved level and is not going to grow further, and someone has dropped out of the partner list altogether over the past year. For example, last year Tatarstan's representative office in the USA, although not in large volumes, continued to conduct a dialogue on cooperation.

In 2022, three events were organised in the field of tourism and three more in the field of education. At the same time, American enterprises have signed one contract with small and medium-sized enterprises of the republic. In turn, the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Tatarstan sent one citizen to undergo routine medical care. And the volume of investments in the region was $20 million.

But this year, the USA is not on the list, and the link to the representative office in the country just disappeared from the website of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan.

“There is a representative office in the USA, but it does not function. In total, Tatarstan has 14 representative offices abroad, 13 of them are functioning. Besides, the republic has eight representative offices in the constituent entities of Russia — all of them work," a source in the regional government told Realnoe Vremya.

It is worth noting that on January 26 the US Treasury introduced personal sanctions against Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov. His wife Gulsina Minnikhanova was also blacklisted by the department.

Dozens of directions for eight departments — what do the representative offices do?

According to the approved indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of representative offices, in 2023 they are to carry out a number of activities, each of which has its own department.

For example, the Ministry of Industry and Trade itself will be engaged in the implementation of the plan for the number of enterprises engaged in export. The Investment Development Agency (TIDA) will organise and conduct presentations of the investment potential of the republic. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food will establish business ties for the import of agro-industrial products. In turn, the Ministry of Economy is to fulfill the plan for the number of contracts concluded with counterparties of the countries where the representative offices are located, as well as small and medium-sized businesses. The Ministry of Culture will hold a number of events planned by Tatar public organisations. The Ministry of Education and Science, as well as the Ministry of Youth Affairs, organises participation in international events, as well as visits of youth delegations. In conclusion, the Ministry of Healthcare will direct citizens of the republic to provide planned medical care as part of the development of the export of medical services.

Control over the execution of all measures is entrusted to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan. The document was signed by Prime Minister of the Republic Alexey Pesoshin.

Tatarstan exports both to Japan and Leipzig

Some of the trade and economic representative offices do not just continue their work in the territories of unfriendly countries. Their plans in some industries are no different from those that will be carried out within the country or in cooperation with “friends” and “neighbours”.

• The representative office of Tatarstan in France is going to increase the number of enterprises engaged in exports from the republic to 16 (14 last year). The TIDA will also come to the country with its presentations (4 against 0 in 2022). It is planned to establish four business connections along the agricultural line, provided that they did not exist before. The Ministry of Sports will work in three directions at once (it was not present last year), and the Ministry of Youth Affairs will send one delegation. It is worth noting that not a single person will be sent for medical treatment this year (only one was sent in 2022).
• As for Turkey, the number of enterprises engaged in exports there will also increase by two — 26 against 24 last year. Work will also begin on agriculture — it is planned to establish four business ties. The work on concluding contracts with the state's counterparties will remain unchanged — there will be two of them, as well as last year. The number of patients referred for treatment will increase to 200 (from 100), as in Turkmenistan. In the field of digital technologies, four events will be organised, including one business mission. Two new events will also appear in the cultural environment.
• In the Czech Republic, Tatarstan will increase the number of educational events. Last year, it was two international competitions and one project Ana Tele, and this year another one will be added, but its name is still unknown. Besides, 16 enterprises of the republic will export their products to the Czech markets (in 2022, they were not mentioned at all). However, last year the volume of investments from this country amounted to $5 million. In 2023, to demonstrate the investment potential of the region, the representative office will hold four presentations of the TIDA.

Until 2020, the authorities of the republics held the annual business forum “Tatarstan — Czech Republic”. The representatives of the European country have repeatedly visited the region, and Alabuga SEZ could become a place for the establishment of Czech enterprises.

• In Switzerland, everything will remain stable: the number of export enterprises will not change (six companies); one, as last year, contract with contractors; also one visit from the Ministry of Youth Affairs. It is worth noting that last year work was carried out in four directions in the country along the line of digital development, but now there are no such tasks there.

Earlier this month, Tatneft liquidated two companies with headquarters in Switzerland: the subsidiary trading Tatneft Europe AG and the settlement and financial Tatneft Explora AG.

• At the same time, Tatarstan's representative office in Finland will still increase the number of export enterprises — 15 from 13. The State Committee for Tourism will not be involved this year, and in the past it had three events. It is also important to note that the volume of investments from the country to the republic last year amounted to $5 million, and this year the TIDA will hold four of its presentations there. In turn, only one contract will be signed by the Ministry of Economy in 2023 (two in 2022).
• In Japan, the Tatarstan representative office will export six enterprises at once (they were not reported last year). Also, active work will be carried out in the field of sports and digital technologies — 18 and 4 events, respectively. Tourist events are not expected in 2023, and in 2022 there were three of them.
• The city of Leipzig (Germany) is the leader in exports from the republic — 35 enterprises (their number has increased by two). There are also no plans for tourism, as in most other countries. But a number of tasks are planned in the sports sphere, and at the same time, the Ministry of Healthcare organises a visit of one delegation.

Let us remind that in November, the German government extended the powers of Takhir Gataullin as the trade and economic representative of the republic in Germany.

Sabantuy, ethno-festival and beauty contest: cultural ties from Kazakhstan to Turkmenistan

This year, Tatarstan aims at large-scale development of cultural and sports areas. The activities in the neighbouring states will be interconnected and have one goal. As for the “friends” of the republic, who do not have nationally similar roots, there is a bet on industry and the economy.

• For example, activities aimed at strengthening neighbourly ties with friendly states have only increased — the Authorised Representative office in Kazakhstan this year is to increase the number of Tatarstan enterprises engaged in exports to this country. In 2022, there were 84 of them, and now their number is planned to be raised to 86. An innovation for this year will be the participation of the TIDA, namely four of its presentations. The Ministry of Culture of the republic should also increase the number of joint events — nine against eight last year. Sabantuy is among them; an event dedicated to Day of the Republic of Tatarstan; qualifying round of the Tatar song festival “Tatar Mona”; organisation of tours of creative teams; organisation of the qualifying round of the beauty and talent contest “Tatar Kyzy”; events for Day of Tatar cuisine; National Language Day; information support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan to attract interested persons; ethno-fashion festival “Lifestyle — Cultural Code”.
• The same situation is developing with the permanent mission in Azerbaijan: the number of exporting enterprises will increase to 33 (31 in 2022). Most of the indicators will remain at the same values, and the new thing will be that this year the Ministry of Culture will contribute with two events: the same Sabantuy and the ethno-fashion festival “Lifestyle — Cultural Code”.
• Similar work will be carried out in Uzbekistan: 45 export enterprises against 43 in 2022; eight contracts with counterparties of countries and small and medium-sized enterprises of Tatarstan from the Ministry of Economy; three presentations from the State Committee of the Republic of Tatarstan on Tourism (there were no last year); nine new cultural events (in 2022 there were eight).

• An increase in exports will also occur with Turkmenistan — two new enterprises will be added, and their total number will reach 18. Besides, the number of patients referred for routine medical care will increase from 100 to 200. Also this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food will start interacting with the country, which should establish four business ties for the import of products from the agricultural industry.
• It is important to note that the indicators will grow not everywhere. So, for example, in Dubai, the TIDA will reduce the number of its presentations from 10 to 4, and the Ministry of Economy will conclude only four contracts (five in 2022). Along the lines of information technology, sports and tourism, everything will remain at the level of last year. However, it is important to note that for the first time, work on education will begin — the representative office will participate in four events.
• The representative office in China will increase the number of enterprises engaged in exports to 29 (there were 27). The TIDA, as in other countries, will hold its four presentations on the potential of investments, the volume of which turned out to be one of the most significant last year — $10 million. Three events are also planned in the field of tourism and four in the line of import of agro-industrial products.

In general, the remaining indicators for the work of departments with representative offices will remain unchanged and the number of their interactions with countries will continue on stabilised indicators.

After investments in 2022, the TIDA plans to conquer the regions of Russia with its presentations

As for the regions of Russia itself, the indicators here are similar to those planned in friendly countries. However, departmental shares do not have a record high growth, and in some areas they will not participate at all. Besides, the indicators of several subjects turned out to be completely identical to last year's.

For example, the Permanent Representative Office in Sverdlovsk Oblast is going to increase the plan for the number of enterprises engaged in exports to 27 (25 in 2022). At the same time, after the investments received last year from the entity in the amount of $250 million, the TIDA plans to hold four of its presentations there. Also, the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Tatarstan will begin to interact with the region, which will start working in four directions at once (it did not participate last year). The Ministry of Culture will add one more event to its list and their number will increase from seven to eight.

In July 2022, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and Governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast Evgeny Kuyvashev signed an action plan for the implementation of the agreement between the regions for the period up to 2024. Promising areas for cooperation between the regions are the supply of KAMAZ automotive equipment to enterprises implementing large construction projects, as well as the organisation of supplies of household and medical refrigeration equipment POZIS.

The representative office in St. Petersburg will also add two enterprises for export, one event in the cultural sphere and four in the field of education. Besides, in 2023, it is planned to establish four ties for the import of agro-industrial products and hold four presentations from the TIDA after 2 billion rubles of investment.

Representative offices in Bashkiria and Sevastopol will also increase most of their indicators. Some of the directions will rise by one or two points. It is worth noting that after 2,5 billion rubles of last year's investments, the TIDA also intends to organise four of its presentations in neighbouring Bashkortostan, but its representatives are not going to Crimea yet. Also, this year there will be no joint work with the Ministry of Digital Development of the Republic of Tatarstan. At the same time, representative offices in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, Saratov and Nizhny Novgorod regions will not change their indicators from 2022.