Kazan, March 23, 2012—Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and World Bank Country Director and Resident Representative in the Russian Federation Michal Rutkowski discussed further cooperation between Tatarstan and the World Bank at the Government House meeting.
In his opening remarks, Rustam Minnikhanov briefed his guest about the socio-economic development in the Republic. He said that by end-2011 gross regional product had reached Rub 1.25 trillion, industrial output stood at Rub 1.3 trillion, and capital investments – at about €10 billion. Among the top projects currently implemented in Tatarstan are ОАО TANEKO (Nizhnekamsk), ОАО Ammiak (Mendeleyevsk), a machine-building project Sollers-Ford, and others.
Along with economic growth, the Republic is seeing an improvement in the standards of living, said Rustam Miknnikhanov. Tatarstan is pursuing reforms in education and health, and is rehabilitating historic and architectural sites, he noted. We want Kazan to be known not only as a large industrial center, but as a city of culture that spans many centuries and has a rich historic heritage, the President noted. "This is your first visit to Kazan, Rustam Minnikhanov said addressing Michal Rutkowski. "It is important to inform you about our projects, discus further plans, and revise some of the projects that are jointly being implemented".
"The World Bank looks forward to further cooperating with Tatarstan. We must define our strategy and identify counterparts to implement a number of projects", Michal Rutkowski said.
According to Rustam Minnikhanov, today the methodological work is just as important as the follow-up financial project support.
In turn, Michal Rutkowski thanked the President for organizing the visit that encompassed so many useful meetings. He said that the team was very impressed with Tatarstan's economic development and with the modernization efforts currently underway at industrial enterprises. The World Bank senior management is pleased that it has been able to assist Tatarstan in achieving its goals, said Michal Rutkowski, and stands ready to further contribute to the socio-economic development of the Republic.
In the course of the meeting, Rustam Minnikhanov suggested appointing World Bank staff who would be responsible for coordinating respective areas with Tatarstan (education, research, cultural heritage, etc.).
Michal Rutkowski noted that in the course of the visit the World Bank and the Republic of Tatarstan would sign two agreements. The first would be signed between the World Bank and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan on advisory services to provide technical assistance in support of E-Education in the Republic of Tatarstan; and the second—an advisory services agreement between the World Bank and the Tatarstan Center for Research and Technology Information—on the development of the intellectual property market in the Republic of Tatarstan.
The parties also discussed the prospects for cooperation on cultural heritage and promotion of cultural tourism in the Republic of Tatarstan, according to the Press Office of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
