Development Diplomacy of the Russian Federation

Abstract

Development assistance recently became a major asset for Russia’s public diplomacy. We define ‘Development diplomacy’ as activities of public institutions, which consist of transmission, by civil society institutions or governmental bodies of one state, to private people or public organizations in another state, of certain material or intellectual resources, on terms more favorable than those available on the international market. The aim of this chapter is to accelerate the other state’s social and economic development. While a member of the G-20, the Russian Federation demonstrates its willingness to take on a global role via participation in a number of education and public health projects in the Global South. More recently, Russia’s development diplomacy focus concentrates on neighboring states of the former USSR, members of the Eurasian Economic Union, and/or the Commonwealth of Independent States, with financial assistance (or transfers on know-hows) going to support technological modernization, rural development, and joint industrial projects.