Digitization and Infrastructure as Key Goals Set by the Security Council for the Arctic

The Interagency Commission for the Arctic under the Security Council of Russia gathered on 10 September to discuss digital development and construction of infrastructure in the Russian Arctic. The session was chaired by the Security Council’s Deputy Chairperson Dmitri Medvedev. Among those present were Vice-Premier for the Russian Arctic and Far East Yuri Trutnev, Arctic and Far Eastern Minister Alexei Chekunkov, Nature Minister Alexander Kozlov and others.

Promoting digitization and ensuring better connectivity is crucial for sustainable development in high latitudes. Introducing digital solutions will not only improve management processes and reduce transaction expenses, but also help find new avenues for growth in the Russian Arctic.

However, building infrastructure in the High North is still a challenging task -- mainly for the reason that key suppliers of construction materials are located thousands of miles from target areas. We in PORA have the experience of building a visit center in the village of Ust-Avam located in Taimyr. It took us about ten days to deliver the needed materials via the Norilka River.

To address the issue, the government intends to foster local production of construction materials in Russia’s Far Eastern regions. As stated by Vice-Premier Trutnev, “we will have to build this industry from scratch”. This view is in line with the position voiced by President Putin, who called for increasing the construction material production in the Russian Far East at the recent Eastern Economic Forum.