Government meeting

The agenda: In the run-up for Cosmonautics Day and implementation of the dedicated national project; providing supplemental funding to upgrade primary care; developing information systems in the healthcare sector; ratifying agreements with the UAE.

Mikhail Mishustin's opening remarks:

Colleagues,

Before we begin the Government meeting, I would like to say a few words about Cosmonautics Day, a holiday that is critically important for our country. It is fast approaching. This year marks the 65^th anniversary of Yury Gagarin's flight. We rightly take pride in the fact that our scientists and engineers opened the way for humanity into near-Earth outer space and thus set benchmarks for many decades to come. This achievement largely shaped the development of core industries ranging from mechanical engineering and electronics to telecommunications.

Today, we face no less challenging tasks. By the President's instruction, we have developed and, starting this year, launched a dedicated national project with total funding of about 4.5 trillion roubles. These funds will be used to expand the satellite constellation, to create our own orbital station, to develop efficient reusable rockets, and to pursue other priority areas. Special emphasis will be placed on highly skilled specialists in cosmonautics as it encompasses many related sectors.

It is important to strengthen Russia's standing as a leading space power which is crucial for economic growth, improving quality of life, and ensuring the country's security.

Now, a few words about the decisions that we've made.

By the President's instruction, primary care is being upgraded nationwide. The Government is helping the regions address this task.

We will allocate an additional over 2 billion roubles to six Russian regions to this end.

A significant portion of the funds will go to the Krasnodar Territory to build six healthcare facilities for children and adult patients.

In Yakutia, a new hospital complex and a new medical building will be built with federal support.

In Dagestan, an outpatient clinic will be built and necessary equipment procured. The same applies to a facility in the Smolensk Region.

In the Voronezh Region, hospitals and a medical outpatient clinic will be upgraded, with major repairs carried out on three medical buildings.

A portion of the allocated funding will go towards completing the construction of an outpatient clinic in the Ivanovo Region.

Expanding healthcare infrastructure is essential to improve the quality and accessibility of medical services for citizens. Importantly, all projects should be completed as scheduled. I'm asking Mr Murashko to track this closely and to conclude, within a month, the necessary agreements with the regions regarding subsidy provision. This must be done.

Now, the development of information systems in the healthcare sector.

The President has underscored the need to widely implement advanced platform-based and digital technologies in the sector.

Such work is underway across the country, including the new regions, where the creation of a unified digital network has already begun.

The Government has drafted a resolution and a directive on the procedure for providing and distributing interbudgetary transfers; 10 billion roubles will be allocated to 84 Russian regions.

These funds will be used continue to improve interaction of all medical information systems. Electronic document flow with the use of AI will be implemented.

Most importantly, we will ensure the provision of services via personal accounts on the integrated public services portal, where people can make doctor's appointments, request a house call, obtain a sick leave, a referral for rehabilitation, or an electronic prescription. Currently, over a third of our people are using these capabilities and several other sought-after services.

We look forward to these measures boosting the healthcare system's efficiency, reducing administrative burdens on medical doctors, and allowing patients to receive necessary care more quickly - importantly, everywhere, regardless of where they live.

Today's agenda also includes several items of international cooperation. We will review draft laws on ratifying two agreements with the United Arab Emirates.

The first one is on economic partnership under the Eurasian Economic Union, of which Russia is a member. Under this agreement, exporters from our respective countries will benefit from free trade arrangements with special preferences when accessing the EAEU and the UAE markets. Customs duties will be eliminated or significantly reduced for 85 percent of goods. Businesses will be able to expand mutual supplies on favourable terms, and citizens of the five countries will gain access to a wider choice of sought-after products.

The second bilateral agreement concerns trade in services and investment between Russia and the UAE. Once implemented, it will open additional opportunities for Russian entrepreneurs on the Emirati market across 64 new sectors, including engineering, legal, IT, and medical services, as well as research, passenger and freight rail transport, as well as other services. Russian companies will be able to establish branches and to take advantage of special economic zones in the UAE.

In turn, Emirati businesses will gain the right to participate in the share capital of our enterprises in 12 additional sectors, including education, transport services, retail, and hospitality.

I expect these draft federal laws to be considered by the State Duma as soon as possible. Their entry into force will create a reliable legal framework for expanding trade and investment cooperation between Russia and the UAE, which is important for fulfilling the President's task of building a network of sustainable partnerships with friendly countries.