MOSCOW, March 26 (RIA Novosti) - The St. Petersburg Economic Forum to be held for the twelfth time this year, has become a global brand, the Russian economics minister said Wednesday.
"The St. Petersburg forum has in fact become a global brand which gathers over 2,500 representatives of the foreign elite," the Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry quoted Elvira Nabiullina as saying.
Practical results were also achieved during the forum, Nabiullina said, adding that contracts worth $13.5 billion had been signed, with $6.5 billion of these within the framework of private and state partnerships.
According to the ministry's information, last year the forum was attended by a total of 9,000 participants from 65 countries, including 200 top managers from the world's major companies. More than 40 Russian regions and 300 national companies participated in an exhibition organized by the forum.
