RUSSIA, January 16 - The Prime Minister visited the pavilion of the Government Coordination Centre and the TASS television studio at the RUSSIA EXPO International Exhibition and Forum, talked with students from the Financial University under the Russian Government and the Russian Customs Academy, took part in a meeting on the implementation results of the Strategy for Improving Financial Literacy and delivered a speech at the plenary session of the Russian Economy Days forum.

On 16 January, VDNKh hosted Finance Day, marking the start of the RUSSIA EXPO International Exhibition and Forum industrial marathon. On this day, employees of the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Russia and other Russian financial authorities, as well as banking and financial organisations showcase the main achievements of the financial sector, and talk about the industry’s future development direction and prospects.

During Finance Day, Mikhail Mishustin visited the pavilion of the Government Coordination Centre and the TASS television studio at RUSSIA EXPO, talked with students from the Financial University under the Russian Government and the Russian Customs Academy. The Prime Minister also took part in a meeting on the implementation results of the Strategy for Improving Financial Literacy and delivered a speech at the plenary session The Financial Sector as the Basis of Stability of the Russian Federation during the Russian Economy Days forum.

Mikhail Mishustin’s remarks at a meeting to review the implementation of the Strategy for Improving Financial Literacy in the Russian Federation:

Dear friends,

I am glad to welcome you all.

Today is an important day: a marathon of federal executive authorities kicks off at the Russia Expo forum and exhibition. I would like to welcome you to the meeting, which is dedicated to financial literacy and forming the financial culture of our citizens.

Enhancing financial literacy is one of the key conditions for the further development of the entire country. We study at institutes, colleges and universities to get a profession. It gives us the opportunity to earn money. However, it is also important to learn how to properly manage our savings. First of all, to learn to master those modern tools that one way or another help us preserve and increase both our personal and family capital. And of course, to protect it, since rapidly developing information technologies also entail the risk of cybercrime and low-quality products.

Modern digital technologies, digital assets – of course, we should study and understand these things. In fact, corresponding strategies are being developed to this end. We need to transition from a simple set of knowledge and skills to a so-called integrated culture, which includes the entire set of values ​​and attitudes that influence human behaviour. This is the main goal of the new Strategy for Improving Financial Literacy. It was approved by the Government last October.

This document will be implemented in eight main areas, including outreach and educational activities, training of specialists, and interaction with businesses and financial organisations.

All this will ultimately contribute to improving the prosperity and well-being of our residents and promote investment and economic growth in the country.

Your on-the-ground work is not only about improving and promoting financial literacy but also about receiving feedback on how this work is being done and how effective it is, to ensure that people have access to all the necessary information. You all should be in constant contact with citizens in order to understand what is missing and fill information gaps as quickly as possible.

The approach to financial literacy has changed noticeably over the past decades. The Ministry of Finance has been dealing with this issue for a long time. And today, of course, modern conditions are completely different from those during the emergence of financial markets in Russia, in the new Russia.

I would like to congratulate you all on Finance Day, on the start of the marathon of federal executive authorities here at the exhibition. I wish you success in completing all tasks.

More to be posted soon…