The Governor of the Murmansk Region, Chairman of the State Council Commission “Northern Sea Route and the Arctic,” Andrei Chibis, became one of the speakers at the Eastern Economic Forum, which is taking place these days in Vladivostok. The head of the region spoke as part of the session “Mission Arctic: a New Perspective on the Modern Image of the Russian Arctic.”
Alexey Chekunkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, Vladimir Panov, Special Representative for Arctic Development of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation and Deputy Chairman of the State Commission for Arctic Development, Aisen Nikolaev, Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Dmitry Katana, participant of the Center for Adaptive Physical Education, Sports and Assistance, took part in the discussion. for people with mental disorders, cerebral palsy, other developmental disabilities and life difficulties, "School of Heroes", TV presenter Elena Letuchaya; head of TASS Andrey Kondrashov; CEO of the Joint Editorial Board of LIFE and SHOT Denis Arapov; Deputy Chairman of the Board, Director of the Information Policy Department of PJSC NOVATEK Denis Solovyov.
As the moderator noted, an important state task is to shape the image of the Arctic among Russians as a territory being developed and cultivated by strong‑spirited, open‑minded people who are always ready to help one another. The participants discussed how to make the Arctic “close and recognizable” to a wide range of citizens and a point of attraction for young people, and to reinforce the image of the Arctic zone as an integral part of national identity.
Andrei Chibis noted that the main thing is sincere concern for people — not just in words, but in action.
For us, “To live in the North!” is not just a catchy slogan, but a way of thinking, our ideology. The action plan was developed based on people’s needs, with a focus on how they want to see the region. And these priorities, which we identified together with our residents, are yielding results. We started promoting the Arctic long before it became mainstream. This is a lot of work, and only real actions matter. Thank you for supporting our initiatives, our colleagues at the Ministry of Development of the Arctic and the Far East and the minister, personally Yuri Petrovich Trutnev, and our President, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. It is a great honor for me to head the relevant commission of the State Council on the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route. And most importantly, the people who live here definitely deserve to be known and talked about: about their work, their efforts, and their achievements in very challenging conditions,” Governor Andrei Chibis noted.
The governor noted that over the past few years, the region has been changing before our eyes. New schools, kindergartens, squares, parks, playgrounds, and renovated hospitals — new facilities appear every year. A record volume of repair work is being carried out, and large‑scale housing construction is being revived — this hasn’t happened since the USSR.
Over the past 7 years, we have created 10,000 new jobs, moved up to 10th place in the country in terms of GRP, increasing it 2.7‑fold, moved up to 10th place in the country in terms of wages, and 25th — despite the climate and restrictions — in terms of quality of life. We are among the top regions in Russia and leaders in the Arctic in terms of education and sports development. We have significantly increased the pace of investment in the economy despite sanctions and COVID. Thank you to our partners and companies that continue to implement investment projects; all of this creates the necessary revenue base. And most importantly, in 2023, for the first time since the Soviet era, we managed to achieve migration growth. And last year, 35 % more people moved to us than in the previous year. And this is precisely our most important victory and the main indicator. It is very important for people to feel that they are part of something very significant and great. Because the people in the North are strong, and they know they are doing something meaningful for their country. Those who come here and stay are precisely the ambitious, strong, and ready to overcome challenges. The economy of new generations is being shaped in the Arctic, and Murmansk is the capital of the Russian Arctic. This has been defined by our President,” said Andrei Chibis.
The governor noted that the President supported the initiative, and work is now underway on a comprehensive project to develop the Arctic and the Trans‑Arctic Transport Corridor.
“The President has decided that, despite all the difficulties and limitations, the country must have such a project. This project will truly give a new impetus to the development of all the Arctic regions and, in general, the entire economy of the country. It will provide a new foundation for those who are ready to live and build a career in the Arctic,” Andrei Chibis emphasized.
The governor noted that it is important to tell the story of those who are developing the Arctic. One of the projects being implemented by the region in cooperation with Zen is “People of the Arctic”: it tells about life beyond the Arctic Circle from the inside, about choices, motivation, and the true connection with the Kola land. Among the heroes are residents of the region, and the response has been so warm that we will continue filming. In addition, the Murmansk Region will create its own meta‑universe, “Murmansk – Arctic – Russia”. This is not just a game: teenagers from all over the world will be able to virtually walk through the Kola Arctic, learn about the professions and opportunities in the region in a language they understand.
Another key driver for economic development is tourism. “Come, see, fall in love” – that’s our approach. We’re in the top 5 destinations for summer tourism. Currently, about 50% of the revenue from the food service industry in the region comes from our visitors. As a result, the infrastructure is developing, and this is of fundamental importance for making life comfortable in the North. By the way, those who came to us as tourists, having truly experienced the North and felt its unforgettable sensations, end up staying here to live. Among other things, we are also implementing a special personnel support project called “Course to the North”: 2,000 professionals have moved to us over the past three years,” Andrei Chibis emphasized.
/Ministry of Information Policy of the Murmansk Region/