UNIDO Centre in the Russian Federation took part in the roundtable on German-Russian cooperation in the field of logistics and energy

May 02, 2017

A German-Russian roundtable dedicated to the development of cooperation in the field of logistics and energy took place on April 20, 2017 in Moscow. UNIDO Centre for International Industrial Cooperation in the Russian Federation actively participated in the organization and holding of the event.

The roundtable was held on the occasion of the working visit to Moscow of the delegation from the Ministry for Energy, Infrastructure and Digitalization (Ministerium für Energie, Infrastruktur und Digitalisierung) of the federal state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Germany, led by Minister Chrisitian Pegel. The delegation included representatives of business community of the federal state, notably heads of biggest German sea ports and companies specialized in the production of energy from renewable sources. The event was moderated by Minister Christian Pegel, representative of “Deutsche Bahn Schenker Rail” Mr. Uwe Leuschner, and national expert of the UNIDO Centre Mrs. Svetlana Erkenova.

Mecklenburg-West Pomerania is the most Eastern federal state of Germany with access to the Baltic Sea, and one of the most important logistics hubs between Scandinavia and Southern Europe, South-Western Europe, Baltic countries and Russia.

It is notable that owing to the use of advanced technologies in the field of renewable energy sources, the federal state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania recently transitioned from energy importer to exporter. According to the Minister, energy production from renewable sources (wind and biomass power) in 2015 exceeded the demand for energy of the federal state by 30%.

The roundtable allowed representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, Russian Energy Agency of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, FGUP “Rosmorport”, and Russian companies working in the field of maritime transport, port infrastructure, industrial cybersecurity and renewable energy sources to discuss prospects of developing joint projects with their German colleagues. The successful experience of the UNIDO Centre in assisting the development and implementation of international projects in the abovementioned fields was presented by the Director of the UNIDO Centre Mr. Sergey Korotkov.

The participants of the roundtable agreed that Russia and Germany both have high economic potential and transport capacities, the increase of which depends primarily on the development of a modern and safe transport infrastructure. It was also suggested that study visits take place to facilities located in Germany and Russia where energy efficient smart home system and systems of industrial cybersecurity are successfully applied, as well as technical tours for specialists to the industrial, port and energy infrastructure facilities of the state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.

In conclusion of the meeting the participants thanked the UNIDO Centre for supporting the establishment of business contacts and agreed to continue discussions on prospects for cooperation during Russian-German days that will be held in Saint Petersburg in September 2017.