UK-Russia Closed Nuclear Cities Partnership

BDA – Stimulating the Development of Local Economies (Charles Monck)

Charles Monck, CNCP Economic Development Specialist

The UK-RF Closed Nuclear Cities Partnership Programme is assisting six Closed Cities to develop more robust economic and regeneration strategies and action plans to secure the cities' long-term viability, as the Russian nuclear weapons complex continues to be restructured. Key leaders from these Closed Cities have been on study tours to see how UK cities and regions, in somewhat similar situations, have taken the initiative in regenerating their economies. As a result of the study tours, key leaders from Seversk and Ozersk set about the establishment of a new Business Development Agency to stimulate entrepreneurship and provide support for the development of new business projects.

Closed Cities are unique to Russia where the City is, in effect, a closed economy, which has been almost wholly dependent on state funding. The standard of living of the Cities, which vary in size from 50,000 to 120,000 people, has largely been dependent on major weapons and defence operations and public funds to maintain public and social services. With the downsizing of the nuclear weapons complex and cut backs in public expenditure, this could result in very substantial jobs losses, particularly amongst former weapons scientists, and have a negative impact on existing businesses due to a serious reduction in local purchasing power.

In Russia it has worked in partnership with the Local and Regional Administrations and the Cities’ Main Enterprises to support the formation and work of Business Development Agencies in Seversk and Ozersk and through contracts with the IDC’s in Snezhinsk and Zheleznogorsk, which were set up under the American NCI programme. Their key role is to seek out and identify promising new projects with the prospect of creating sustainable jobs for former weapons staff and assist them to develop market research and business plans and to secure funding locally and from CNCP.

For more information on CNCP's economic development activities please contact Charles Monck, cmonck@monckcon.demon.co.uk.

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