EASTERN ECONOMIC FORUM (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush returned from Russia after representing India at the Eastern Economic Forum held in the Russian port city of Vladivostok.

Eastern Economic Forum

• EEF is an annual international event hosted in Vladivostok, Russia.
• Inaugurated: In September 2015, the first EEF took place at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, 
• Aim: To promote economic growth in Russia's Far East and foster international collaboration within the Asia-Pacific region.
• EEF serves as a vital platform for deliberations on critical topics such as global economics, regional integration, advancements in industrial and technological sectors, and the shared global challenges faced by Russia and other nations.

Russia’s Far East

• The Far Eastern part of Russia is its easternmost region.
• Border Sharing: Two oceans, namely the Pacific and the Arctic
• Five Countries: China, Japan, Mongolia, the United States, and North Korea.

o Encompassing over a third of the country's landmass, the Far Eastern Federal District is vast.

• Abundant in Natural Resources: Diamonds, stannary, borax materials, gold (including 50% of the nation's gold reserves), tungsten, and a variety of fish and seafood.