At the session 'Life of Indigenous Peoples: Preserving Traditions, Developing the Economy and Improving Quality of Life' during the Eastern Economic Forum 2024, a discussion took place on the new Concept of Sustainable Development of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation, which is set to be adopted for the period from 2025 to 2036. The event was attended by the leadership of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Russia, the governors of Chukotka and Yakutia, as well as representatives of federal agencies. They discussed the first draft of the new Concept of Sustainable Development of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation until 2036, which the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic has already prepared. The previous document came into force in 2009, marking a unique initiative—no other country in the world has implemented a comprehensive development programme for indigenous peoples at the national level. This was stated by Igor Barinov, Head of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs of the Russian Federation, recalling the sensation the current document caused a few years ago at the post-forum in the UN. According to him, significant progress has been made in the socio-economic development of Russia's indigenous peoples over the past years.

However, any document requires adaptation to current realities. During the session, a number of proposals were made that could become part of the new version of the Concept or other federal initiatives. In particular, authorities and representatives of the indigenous peoples of the North agree that the focus of support needs to shift towards the economic sphere. This is the foundation upon which demographics (which are gradually increasing) will improve, and new bearers of culture will emerge, who, in turn, will preserve it for their children.

Communities of indigenous peoples are discussing the modernisation of life support systems and the realisation of entrepreneurial potential, as a market for the products of traditional occupations already exists. Reindeer herders need snowmobiles, fishermen require motor boats and gear, while hunters need satellite communication. According to Igor Barinov, it is essential to better reflect this aspect in state strategic planning documents, which have so far focused more on preserving language, culture and other social aspects. This idea was also supported by the Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, Magomedsalam Magomedov. He emphasised the need to focus special efforts on integrating the economic activities of indigenous peoples into the regional economy.

The issue of legal identification for representatives of indigenous peoples was also raised—the current registry for indigenous peoples is already operational and will continue to develop further. It will ensure the rights of representatives of indigenous peoples who are in vulnerable situations due to living in remote areas that the state cannot always reach. The first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Nationalities, Ildar Gilmutdinov, also emphasised that some provisions that provided additional rights for indigenous peoples had been removed from the legislation in the past, but will be reinstated. At the same time, representatives of the authorities emphasised that support for indigenous peoples is aimed at preserving their traditional way of life. If the communities wish to engage in commerce, they can receive assistance on general terms, for example, by establishing a business and applying for resident status in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF).

In addition to the economy, the authorities at the Eastern Economic Forum reaffirmed their guarantees regarding the preservation of the culture and languages of indigenous peoples. Ildar Gilmutdinov noted that the Government of the Russian Federation has been granted the authority to carry out projects for the creation of alphabets for the languages of indigenous peoples. This is reflected in the new order 'On the Approval of the Concept of State Language Policy of the Russian Federation.' The document also states that an Interdepartmental Commission on the Languages of the Indigenous Peoples of the Russian Federation has been established, which is specifically working on this project. The creation of a written language will help preserve many languages and the cultural heritage of small peoples, reflect current changes, and assist the representatives of the indigenous peoples in adapting to modern realities. This toolkit will enable the inclusion of their traditions in the vast repository of Russia's national heritage, which is composed of the cultures of hundreds of nationalities.

The updated Concept of Sustainable Development of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation is set to be launched in 2025. It is expected that the adaptation of legislation will significantly improve the situation for the residents of the Arctic, the Far East and the Ural region. 'Given the increased birth rates—with the support of the Presidential Administration, the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs and our senators—we will come to understand that soon the term "small-numbered" will disappear from the indigenous peoples of the North. Or it will be replaced with "numerous",' noted Andrey Grachev, Vice President for Federal and Regional Programmes at PJSC 'MMC Norilsk Nickel,' during the session at the EEF 2024.

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