On September 24^th – 28^th 2019 the city of Yakutsk hosted and international conference «Northern Sustainable Development Forum». Head of our Research Center Aleksandr Voronenko took part in this event.

Non-governmental organization «Northern Forum» was established in 1991 under the initiative of the Governor of Alaska Walter Hickel as a council of Governors of the Northern regions. Its mission is to improve the living standards of the population in the Arctic and support of sustainable development of the Northern regions. Today «Northern Forum» is the only organization in the Arctic, which supports interregional cooperation and develops dialogue «North to South» – first of all, with the countries of Asia-Pacific Region.

In 2019 non-commercial organization «UArctic» and «Northern Forum Working Group on regional adaptation to the climate change» for the first time organized an international an expert dialogue-platform «Northern Sustainable Development Forum» in Yakutsk. The organizers anticipate that this event will be annual and will become one of the most authoritative platforms to discuss problems and perspectives of sustainable development of the Arctic. The main task of the Forum is to bring together biggest experts from circumpolar and Asian countries to work in project activities. Forum participants will represent various spheres: science, regional and federal authorities, public, business, etc.

It is an honor that Khabarovsk State University of Economics and Law (KSUEL) became a partner of the first «Northern Sustainable Development Forum». The head of our research department «Research Center for SCO and APR» Aleksandr Voronenko participated it this event. He presented the report on perspectives of Arctic collaboration between Russia and North-East Asia states during the 4^th panel of the Forum «Arctic and Asia: opportunities for international cooperation». The report was based on the chapter for the «Handbook of Research on International Collaboration, Economic Development and Sustainability in the Arctic» (link www.igi-global.com/book/handbook-research-international-collaboration-economic/201490), which was written by our Center and published in January 2019 under the editorship of our partners – Harbin Engineering University.

During the project presentation panel Aleksandr Voronenko announced the initiative of «Bering Pacific Arctic Council» (link www.beringcouncil.org). This project was proposed in June 2019 during the 24^th annual Russian-American Pacific Partnership meeting in Khabarovsk. Our University is one of the organizers and participants of this project.

Head of the Research Center also took part in the 8^th Meeting of the Sino-Russian Working Group on Arctic Collaboration. On the round table Aleksandr told about contacts of KSUEL with Chinese universities and confirmed intention to continue the implementation of research project on investigating the perspectives of linking the «Silk Road» and Northern Sea Route via meridian Russian river systems Ob-Irtysh, Yenisei, Lena.

On the sidelines of the «Northern Sustainable Development Forum» Aleksandr established working contacts with Arctic Center of Hokkaido University, North-Eastern Federal University and Maritime University of Korea. We hope for future fruitful cooperation with new partners and participation in this Forum next year.