What the Dagestan Memorandum with the BRICS Business Platform for Mountain Regions Means

The catalyst was a Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Dagestan and the International BRICS Forum, signed by the head of the region, Sergey Melikov, and forum president Purnima Anand at the 2nd International Forum "Sustainable Development of Mountain Territories" in Makhachkala. The event was attended by over 700 representatives from 20 countries, as reported by the TASS project "This Caucasus." The document aims to strengthen foreign economic ties, stimulate business contacts, and organize joint events (consultations, conferences, seminars), according to TASS data.

What Exactly Was Signed and What Are the First Expected Effects?

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the government of Dagestan and the International BRICS Forum, which formalizes the parties' intentions to develop foreign economic ties and business contacts, as well as joint business and expert formats, according to TASS data.

BRICS Forum President Purnima Anand called the document "a most important agreement" that will allow "Dagestan to connect to various projects" and enhance the republic's involvement in the international agenda, as she stated at the plenary session.

How Does This Change the Development Agenda for Mountain Territories in Russia and the Caucasus?

In short: the forum consolidated the demand for systemic federal solutions for mountain territories and expanded interregional and international cooperation.

Participants recognized mountain territories as a driver of economic growth and adopted a unified position on the need for a federal law to support mountain regions, as reported by "Yoldash." Concurrently, the head of Dagestan pointed out that 38 federal subjects in Russia are classified as mountainous, yet there is no national project specifically dedicated to their development, as he stated at the plenary session.

"In Russia, where 38 subjects are classified as mountainous regions, there is still no national project focused on the socio-economic development of these areas."

This is how Dagestan's Head Sergey Melikov articulated the priority at the forum's platform, as reported by Mirmol.ru.

The scale and composition of attendees underscore the cross-border nature of the agenda: delegations from Uzbekistan, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, India, and Iran participated. The forum's outcomes will form the basis of programmatic documents, as reported by "Molodezh Dagestana."

The forum also focused on applied topics—ranging from personnel training in subsoil use and harmonizing expertise requirements with UN standards to water resources and disaster risk management in mountainous areas, as reported by "Yoldash."

What Tactical Opportunities Are Now Available for Dagestani Businesses and BRICS Partners?

The main "fast tracks" include tourism, agriculture and processing, exports to BRICS countries, subsoil use and services for mountain infrastructure, as well as product fairs as sales channels.

• Tourism. The forum highlighted the high tourism potential of mountain territories and positive development cases; the BRICS platform adds an international channel for projects and promotion.

• Agriculture and Processing. Amidst the active development of family farms and processing in mountainous areas, expanding business contacts and expert formats can accelerate cooperation and investment projects.

• Exports and Promotion of Products in BRICS Countries. Regional authorities are already declaring a priority for promoting Dagestani products in BRICS markets, as previously stated by the republic's Minister of Economy and Territorial Development.

• Subsoil and Personnel. The demand for expertise and unified expertise standards, discussed at the "Subsoil and Subsoil Use" session, opens up demand for educational programs and engineering for mountain projects.

• Water Resources and Sustainability. International projects for studying water systems in the Caspian mountain regions and discussions on reclaiming challenging territories enhance opportunities for environmental engineering and risk management services.

• Sales Channels and B2B Contacts. A trade fair on the final day served as a showcase for regional producers—from agricultural products and fish to textiles and winemaking—with the participation of major local companies, as reported by "Golos Stepi."

Crucially, a foundation has already been laid for these opportunities. The forum outlined significant results of regional programs: investments in tourism, growth in agricultural production, and development of social infrastructure, including schools, kindergartens, water supply, and gasification facilities, as reported by "Yoldash." This reduces initial risks for investors and facilitates project scaling in partnership with the BRICS platform.

Conclusion: the memorandum establishes the political and institutional framework for Dagestan's international cooperation with BRICS, while the forum set priorities—from federal policy for mountain territories to specific industry projects. For businesses, this presents an opportunity where "quick wins" are possible in tourism, agriculture, export promotion, and services for mountain infrastructure. The future dynamic will depend on the speed of regulatory decisions and the implementation of the declared programmatic documents.