OREANDA-NEWS. February 22, 2011. Government of the Republic of Karelia has sent its proposals to developers of the large-scale national program of The Arctic Regions concerning a number of investment projects to be accomplished in northern regions of the republic within the range of the program.

As First Deputy Minister of Economic Dvelopment of Karelia Lev Shustov has explained, "Karelian projects are of strategic importance for development of northern territories. First, this is development of transport infrastructure – creation of new shipping routes, strengthening of the role of the White Sea – Baltic waterway. The second perspective direction is increase of efficiency of using bioresources of the White Sea coast region of Karelia. In this respect, serious research work has been conducted in the republic and there has been revealed a huge resource potential which may be used for revival of northern territories' economy."

According to the Action Plan of conducting basis of national policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic Regions for the period through 2020 approved by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, under the order of the Ministry of Regional Development of Russia the state research institution Council for the Study of Productive Forces in the first quarter of 2011 has started development of the state program of Economic and Social Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation in 2011-2020.

This national program is called to become the basic mechanism of implementation of the Strategy of development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and national security protection for the period through 2020.

At drawing up the Strategy, metropolitan regions of Louhi, Kem and Byelomorsk of the Republic of Karelia were included in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation.

The Arctic Regions national program will contain investment projects for implementation on principles of public-private partnership including projects financed with use of funds of government institutions of development.