OREANDA-NEWS. September 21, 2011. In the course of the 10th Sochi 201 International Investment Forum, State Corporation ‘Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)’and Autonomous Non-Profit Organization the Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects (ASI) entered into a Memorandum on Cooperation.

On behalf of Vnesheconombank the Memorandum was signed by Vnesheconombank Chairman Vladimir Dmitriev and on behalf of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects – by Director General Andrei Nikitin.

The Memorandum provides for promoting long-term, effective and mutually beneficial cooperation between the parties in implementing “New Business” projects.

Under the Memorandum the parties intend to help promote and implement unique business projects, improve business climate, identify and overcome obstacles to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, spread best practices in supporting business activity in Russian regions, create a positive image of “New Business” projects for the Russian investment community.

The Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects was set up by the Russian Government in order to support unique projects of social significance and initiatives of medium-size enterprises, boost professional mobility, and provide support for young professional teams in the social sector. There are three main lines of the Agency’s activity: “New Business” (providing support for young talented businessmen), “New Professionals” (assisting professional mobility among other things through creating systems of employee professional attestation, providing support for professional associations, upgrading professional qualification standards, “Social Projects” (providing support for social initiatives among other things by way of promoting projects aimed at developing social institutions including socially oriented non-profit organizations, supporting young professional teams working in social institutions, spreading best practices in developing social institutions in Russian constituent entities).

ASI is headed by the Russian Prime Minister. It is comprised of the Agency’s Director General, the Russian Economic Development Minister, Vnesheconombank’s Chairman, heads of regions, representatives of public associations of the business community, leading Russian managers. Vnesheconombank has already provided the Agency with 100 million rubles to arrange its activity.