Experts Discuss Cooperation Between Businesses and Indigenous Peoples in Russia

An expert seminar dedicated to the interaction between businesses and Indigenous Peoples of Russia was held in Moscow. The event was organized by the Interregional Public Organization "Union of Indigenous Peoples of the North" with the support of the National Network of the UN Global Compact in Russia and the All-Russian educational program "Indigenous Peoples of Russia. School of Public Diplomacy."

Representatives of Indigenous Peoples' organizations, international experts, and representatives of large Russian businesses, including Norilsk Nickel, Udokan Copper, and Russneft, participated in the seminar. Participants discussed pressing issues of state regulation in the field of interaction between businesses and Indigenous Peoples, the need for non-financial reporting and due diligence in business relations with Indigenous Peoples, as well as ways to promote the sustainable development of Indigenous Peoples and the fair distribution of benefits.

Hani Mughni, Deputy Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and Ojdut Oyulu, a member of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, shared international experience and best practices in this area. Sergei Timoshov, adviser to the head of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, presented the position of government agencies.

Seminar participants highly appreciated the importance of dialogue between businesses and Indigenous Peoples and expressed their readiness for further cooperation to achieve sustainable development and respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples.