What can BRICS+ Business Gain from the Dagestan Mining Forum and Purnima Anand's Visit on October 1–3?

The republic's readiness to host the Second International Forum "Sustainable Development of Mountain Territories" from October 1–3, with the participation of parliamentarians, businesses, science, and international delegations, served as a catalyst, as reported by the press service of acting head of Dagestan. Purnima Anand, President of the International Forum of BRICS Countries, a key guest with an agenda for integrating the region into BRICS cooperation chains, has already arrived in the city.

What is the Main Signal from Purnima Anand's Visit to Dagestan?

The signal is the institutionalization of ties: Anand publicly stated her intention to include Dagestan and the peoples of the Caucasus in the BRICS engagement program, emphasizing interest in working with mountain territories, as confirmed in her arrival statement.

"We have been working with Russia for a very long time and plan to include Dagestan and the peoples of the Caucasus in the BRICS engagement program... Makhachkala is a unique city."

The "BRICS Forum – Regional Projects" connection is not spontaneous; the visit followed an invitation to SPIEF-2025 and focuses on dialogue between government, business, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on specific cooperation formats, as Anand also noted.

What Specifically Will the Forum Discuss and Who Will Attend?

The forum, taking place on October 1–3 in Makhachkala, will gather over 500 participants, including delegates from 20+ countries and representatives from platforms such as the SCO and BRICS. The central theme is "The Role of Municipalities in Environmentally Significant Solutions," as briefly reported by RGVKT "Dagestan." The agenda includes over 20 events: round tables on the agro-industrial complex and water supply, panel discussions, working group meetings, the youth forum "Voice of the Mountains" at DSGU, an exhibition-fair of crafts and agricultural products, as well as excursions to the mountain zone and the Sulak Canyon to assess tourism and social infrastructure. A resolution with practical recommendations will be issued upon completion.

What Systemic Effects for Dagestan and BRICS are Possible Following the Forum?

The main vector is the transition from a declarative "grand strategy" to municipal practice, which involves implementing control mechanisms, adapting to climatic and socio-economic challenges, and fine-tuning inter-municipal cooperation and land use tools. Key expectations include securing federal attention for the infrastructural priorities of mountain territories and a potential signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the BRICS Forum, opening a direct export channel for Dagestani products. These guidelines and the "forum as a working platform for practitioners" format are described in detail in "Dagestanskaya Pravda." The Dagestanskaya Pravda.

What Tactical Opportunities and Risks Exist for Businesses and Municipalities in the Next 6–12 Months?

Specific entry points for projects are being formed in the upcoming cycle, from infrastructure to agricultural cooperation and tourism. Additionally, an agreement with one of the regions of Uzbekistan is expected to be signed on the sidelines of the forum, as previously announced.

• Agro-Industrial Complex and Agri-technologies: Demand for solutions to increase productivity in mountain conditions, logistics, farmer cooperation, and sales. The forum is directly aimed at supporting small businesses and cooperation in the agro-industrial complex.
• Mountain Tourism: Development of routes, accommodation services, and activities. Travel HUB "Sodruzhestvo" heightens the demand for investments in transport accessibility, services, and marketing of territories.
• Water and Climate Resilience: Projects for water resource management, drought prevention, desertification, and mudflows present an opportunity window for engineering, equipment, and service models.
• Roads and Communication: The complex mountain terrain requires adapted solutions for road construction and maintenance, as well as communication infrastructure, an niche for contractors and manufacturers of materials/technologies.
• Digitalization of Settlements: Implementation of platform solutions for municipal services and infrastructure monitoring.
• Land Use and Inter-municipal Practices: Clarifying the "rules of the game" reduces regulatory uncertainty and removes barriers to investment in mountain regions.
• Personnel and Youth Projects: "Voice of the Mountains" forms a bridge to universities and technology teams, offering opportunities for internships and local R&D pilots.

The forum will convert external attention into a package of practices and pilot projects. With a resolution and roadmaps in place, it will be easier for municipalities to scale solutions and for businesses to enter projects through consortia, PPPs, and export channels within the BRICS framework.