MM Report
SAINT PETERSBURG: The extended business program for the 2026 St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) has been published, setting out an agenda that organizers said reflected a rapidly changing global economic order and the growing shift towards multipolarity in international relations.
According to the outline released by organizers, the forum had been designed around what they described as the formation of a new model of global development, shaped by the ongoing transformation of the world economy. The structure of SPIEF 2026, they added, had been intended to capture the realities of an increasingly fragmented and volatile international environment, where states and businesses were being pushed to reassess long-standing economic assumptions.
The central theme of the forum had been announced as “Pragmatic Dialogue: The Path to a Stable Future”, signaling an emphasis on practical engagement and negotiated cooperation at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.
Anton Kobyakov, an adviser to the Russian president, said the program would bring together more than 150 sessions spanning a wide range of thematic tracks. These were expected to include discussions on the global and Russian economy, technological leadership, social policy, and the development of the living environment.
He further noted that particular attention had been given to formats aimed at practical exchange, including business breakfasts and international business dialogues involving key partner countries and regions. Organizers said these formats were intended to move beyond formal speeches towards more direct economic engagement and deal-making discussions.
