On November 26-27, 2024, the International Business Forum "World of Opportunities: Russia-ASEAN" was held in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), which was organized by the Roscongress Foundation and the The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE). The partners of the business program were the Russia–ASEAN Business Council and the Eurasian Economic Commission.

The forum included industry panel sessions on energy, digital transformation, tourism, education and medicine. In addition, the EAEU-ASEAN Business Dialogue took place within the framework of the forum.
The central event of the International Business Forum was the plenary session: "Russia and the ASEAN countries: towards a new stage of trade and economic cooperation," moderated by Daniyar Akkaziev, Executive Director of the Russia-ASEAN Business Council.

Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council from Malaysia, Co-founder and Chairman of Ikhlas Capital, Nazir Razak, noted in his speech that within the framework of Malaysia's upcoming ASEAN presidency in 2025, special attention will be paid to the development of the digital economy, interconnectedness in the region, as well as attracting foreign investment. "The ASEAN member countries are interested in deepening trade, economic and investment cooperation with Russia. We see prospects for such cooperation in various fields," Nazir Razak said.

Alexey Gruzdev, Deputy Minister of industry and trade of Russia, said during his speech that according to the Ministry of industry and trade of Russia, the trade turnover between the ASEAN countries and Russia amounted to about 17 billion US dollars in the incomplete year 2024 alone. "Cooperation with the ASEAN countries has been and remains one of Russia's priorities, and trade between Russia and the ASEAN countries has increased by 10% compared to last year. Of course, there are tasks that need to be solved, such as the diversification of commodity positions and work at the legislative level to reduce tariff barriers," stressed Alexey Gruzdev.

Oudet Souvannavong, President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, stressed that it is important to create partnerships in such areas as artificial intelligence, clean energy and biotechnology to stimulate the development of our economies. "In addition, I believe that investments in infrastructure are of key importance to ensure more efficient trade flows between our countries," Oudet Souvannavong noted.

Alexander Stuglev, Chairman of the Management Board, Director of the Roscongress Foundation, noted the important role of small and medium-sized enterprises in developing cooperation with ASEAN, emphasizing that the Roscongress Foundation actively promotes trade and investment ties between representatives of Russian SMEs and ASEAN member countries through key business events such as the Eastern Economic Forum and the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. "These platforms give businesses the opportunity to discuss strategic directions, share experiences, attract investors and find new partners," said Alexander Stuglev.

Deputy Director of the The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Abu Bakar Yusof positively assessed the prospects for deepening cooperation between Russia and Malaysia during his speech. "Malaysia's total foreign trade exceeds $500 billion. We have a lot to offer our Russian partners, and we see great potential in diversifying our cooperation in sectors such as renewable energy and the digital economy," Abu Bakar Yusof said.

"Today, the Russian Federation and, in particular, the Republic of Tatarstan, have their own digital platforms that ensure independence and independence in industry, public administration, culture, medicine and education. The solutions we have developed are the best in the world and are successfully exported outside the Republic, as well as to other friendly countries," Ayrat Khairullin, Minister of Digital Development of Public Administration, Information Technology and Communications of the Republic of Tatarstan, said during his speech.

During the events of the forum, the speakers noted that the transformational processes in the global economy require the diversification of trade and the strengthening of the role of the business community. The event was attended by more than 300 representatives of political, business and academic circles, the media, as well as experts and public figures from Russia and the ASEAN member states.