This year will mark the 35th anniversary for the Commonwealth of Independent States. The organization faces the task of continuing to develop comprehensive cooperation between its member states, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev stated in an interview with RIA Novosti.
"A distinctive feature of the year (2026 – ed.) is that it is an anniversary year for the CIS. The Commonwealth of Independent States will turn 35 years old. An event plan dedicated to this anniversary has been approved and is already being implemented. We face ambitious tasks, and the main one is to ensure the further development of comprehensive cooperation within the CIS in 2026," the organization's Secretary General stated.
According to Sergey Lebedev, a number of important projects are planned for consideration this year. For example, in the economic sphere, this includes the implementation of the concept of connecting the main transport arteries within the CIS.
"We are talking about creating an integrated transport system within the CIS that will ensure the safe, fast, and efficient movement of goods between states and reduce transport costs, thereby increasing the transit potential of our countries," the agency's source explained.
The Secretary General reported that a document is also being developed that will determine the future of the CIS energy sector for decades to come – a strategy for the development of the fuel and energy complex until 2035 (and eventually until 2050), being developed by the CIS Electric Power Council.
"Our goal for the future is to reach a new level of external economic cooperation and transform the Commonwealth into an effective platform for dialogue with other associations, such as the EAEU, the SCO, BRICS, and the ECO (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – ed.)," he continued. Sergey Lebedev added that in the humanitarian sphere, a new stage in integration processes will be the adoption of a program to form a common educational space in the Commonwealth of Independent States for 2027–2035. According to him, a number of draft documents are being prepared in the social and labor spheres, including a plan for key activities to implement the conceptual framework for cooperation among the CIS states in the field of labor standards for 2026–2030.
"One of the most important tasks facing us in 2026 is the high-quality implementation of the Year of Health in the Commonwealth. Particular attention will be paid to the development and updating of international documents directly regulating cooperation in the field of healthcare, as well as the provision of emergency and scheduled medical care to citizens in the Commonwealth countries," said Sergey Lebedev.
The CIS Secretary General emphasized that a strategic initiative of Belarus, entitled "The CIS – a Common Space of Health and Sustainable Development for 2026–2035," is currently being developed.
"An important event in 2026 will be the IX Congress of Teachers and Education Workers of the CIS Member States. Other major events planned for 2026 include the first Commonwealth of Independent States Volunteer Forum, which will be held in August in Kazakhstan," concluded Sergey Lebedev.