A Spanish delegation visited Irkutsk

Irkutsk Region discussed with the Spanish delegation prospects for cooperation in rail transport, energy, tourism and other areas. Sergei Sokol said development of BAM, the Trans Siberian Railway and the North Siberian line could attract new investment and boost the northern territories. The Spanish side also said tourism experts would soon visit to exchange experience, and new educational contacts lie ahead during Dmitry Medvedevs visit to Spain.

First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Irkutsk Region Sergei Sokol met the day before with a Spanish delegation headed by Spain’s Minister of Economic Development, Ms. Magdalena Álvarez Arza.
The event was also attended by the Minister of Housing Policy, Energy, Transport and Communications of the Irkutsk Region, Mikhail Kruchinin, the head of the territorial body – the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Irkutsk, Lyudmila Kurbatova, and representatives of Russian Railways OJSC. Sergei Sokol spoke with the guests in Spanish.
Russia and Spain have recently been closely cooperating in the field of railway transport. Sergei Sokol noted the relevance of this cooperation specifically for our region, since, in his words, “the strategy for the development of railway transport in Russia until 2030 gives a special place to the further development of the BAM, the Trans-Siberian Railway, and the construction of the North Siberian Railway”.
According to Sergei Sokol, the implementation of these projects will attract additional investment to the Irkutsk Region and will serve as a catalyst for the further socio-economic development of the northern territories of the region.
In his opinion, the stay of the Spanish delegation in the Irkutsk Region will also give additional impetus to other areas of cooperation: in the field of energy and resource-saving technologies, the woodworking industry, agriculture, and the implementation of environmental projects.
– We are interested in developing cultural and humanitarian contacts. In these areas, mutually beneficial and interesting projects can be developed, designed for years ahead, – Sergei Sokol emphasized. – We are especially interested in the comprehensive approach to tourism development that is used in Spain.
According to Ms. Magdalena Álvarez, Spanish experts in the field of tourism will arrive in the Irkutsk Region in the near future to exchange experience.
Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Spain is scheduled for March 2. As part of this visit, the first meeting of the rectors of universities from Spain, Russia, and Latin America will take place, with 22 representatives of Russian higher education institutions taking part. The rector of Irkutsk State Linguistic University, Grigory Voskoboynik, has been invited to the event.