At the 6th Baikal Economic Forum in Irkutsk in 2010, one of the main topics will be a new urban planning philosophy, said Governor Dmitry Mezentsev. At the international conference, they also decided to make the BEF annual so Siberian regions could more often draw federal attention to their problems. In addition, Mezentsev spoke about the SCO Business Council and stressed that its role should be clearly limited to supporting international investment projects.

One of the key topics of the VI Baikal Economic Forum (BEF), which will be held in Irkutsk in 2010, should be the issue of a new urban-planning philosophy, said the governor of the Irkutsk Region, Dmitry Mezentsev.
During the International Economic Conference, the format for holding such an event was determined.
Throughout the day, participants discussed pressing issues in the social and economic sphere: demographic and migration problems, the use of natural resources, and support for the agro-industrial complex. As a result of the conference, several important decisions were made. One of them is that the Baikal Economic Forum will now be held annually. According to Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, the new schedule will allow Siberian regions to draw the attention of federal authorities to their problems. In even-numbered years it will be held in Irkutsk, and in odd-numbered years - in other cities of the Siberian Federal District. Later, at a press conference, Dmitry Mezentsev, already as chairman of the board of the Business Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, spoke about its work. According to the head of the Irkutsk Region, the council is now ready for active action, but it is necessary to determine what role it will play in supporting international investment projects.
- The Business Council has no right, even unintentionally, to become a structure that replaces the activities of ministries and agencies, the economic bloc by definition. We decided this for ourselves and agreed with the ministries, - said the governor of the Irkutsk Region, Dmitry Mezentsev.
In addition, the governor of our region identified one of the key topics of the next BEF. This is a new urban-planning philosophy.
Within the discussion of this topic, it is necessary to clearly distinguish the tasks of improving living conditions in the settlements of Siberia - what should be taken on by federal, regional, and local authorities, and what depends directly on the population," D. Mezentsev told journalists following the international conference "The Role of Siberia and the Far East in Global Development," held in Ulan-Ude as part of the BEF.