Dagestan and the International Forum on Sustainable Development of Mountain Territories: Why Matters?
Executive Summary
The International Forum on “Sustainable Development of Mountain Territories,” convened in Makhachkala on 1–3 October 2025, constitutes a significant demonstration of Moscow’s intent to promote Dagestan’s economy and integrate the North Caucasian republic into multilateral Eurasian frameworks.
Hosting high-level representatives of CIS parliaments, ministries, and research institutions, the event served both as a technical platform for resource and environmental governance and as an instrument of Russian soft power projection.
The forum underscores Dagestan’s potential for regional cooperation in natural resource management, ecological tourism, and the development of mountain communities. However, the initiative also highlights Moscow’s requirement to employ tangible international engagement to offset the republic’s inherent socio-political vulnerabilities.
Essential Findings
- Multilateral positioning. The forum allowed Moscow to highlight its CIS leadership, utilising Dagestan to advance cooperation in resource management, environmental regulations, and legislative coordination.
- Economic and ecological integration. Innovation in agriculture, water management, energy for remote areas, and ecotourism were central themes, all in line with the government’s goal of making Dagestan’s economy less dependent on mining and money transfers from other places.
- Institutional soft power. The Russian Federation confirmed its desire to position Dagestan within broader international networks, while still focusing on the CIS, by involving international partners and scientific institutions in the forum.
- Local consolidation. Sergey Melikov, as Head of Dagestan, actively promoted the country’s legislative and programmatic progress, such as the regional law concerning mountain territories and state programs for socio-economic growth, which shows an effort to solidify federal authority through local governance projects.
Context
The mountainous terrain of Dagestan holds significant ecological wealth, such as water sources, reserves of aquatic life, and biodiverse areas perfect for eco-tourism. These characteristics have significance that goes beyond national borders, affecting countries in the CIS that are next to Russia. In this context, the forum framed the sustainable management of mountain territories not only as a local issue but as a regional strategic necessity, demanding harmonised approaches to legislation, governance, and disaster risk mitigation.
The event occurred concurrently with the “Commonwealth” Travel HUB forum, emphasising the connection between environmental conservation and tourism as mutually beneficial forces for regional progress. This strategy shows how Moscow aims to strengthen Makhachkala’s ties with federal and regional systems through soft economic measures.
Political Scenario
Valentina Matviyenko, the Chairwoman of the Federation Council, and Sergei Lebedev, General Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), focused their speeches on collaborative resource management, green innovation, and exemplary legislative projects within the CIS. This rhetoric situates Dagestan as a laboratory for legislative development in environmental and mountain governance, with the potential to be scaled across post-Soviet states.
Politically, the event strengthens the Russian narrative of constructive leadership within the CIS while bolstering Dagestan’s status as a cooperative, loyal republic. Melikov and other local leaders gain influence by hosting international events, which shows they support the federal government’s goals. However, people question whether the community truly participates and if the local authorities distribute benefits fairly because of the top-down structure of these projects.
Economic Scenario
The economic agenda of the forum reflected a dual-track strategy:
- Infrastructure and innovation: improving energy, water supply, and agricultural sustainability in mountainous territories to reduce isolation and underdevelopment.
- Tourism promotion: showcasing Dagestan’s potential for mountain, ecological, and adventure tourism to diversify local economies and attracting investment.
Although these goals correspond with Russia’s larger effort to build the Caspian-Eurasian transport and economic corridor, difficulties still exist. Outcomes could be at risk because of local institutions’ ability to absorb, unequal resource allocation, and the possibility of environmental harm.
Security Scenario
Although not a formal agenda item, security considerations form the backdrop to any developmental initiative in Dagestan. Through the sponsorship of forums emphasising international collaboration and environmental advancement, Moscow endeavours to cultivate an impression of stability and progress. However, the enduring low-level insurgency in mountainous regions, socio-economic inequalities, and weak governance frameworks still pose risks that could hamper the achievement of long-term sustainable development objectives in Dagestan.
Assessment
The Makhachkala forum in October 2025 exemplifies the leveraging of Dagestan as a domestic showcase and a regional platform for Moscow’s broader geopolitical narrative. In the short period, we can expect:
- Greater focus on legislative alignment among CIS nations regarding mountain regions, resource administration, and ecotourism.
- Sustained federal investment in eco-tourism and infrastructure in Dagestan as part of Russia’s strategy to diversify its regional economic base.
- Expanded use of Dagestan as a host for multilateral gatherings, consolidating its symbolic role as a cooperative node of Russian-led regionalism.
However, the success of these initiatives hinges on their capacity to address regional socio-economic disparities, involve community participation, and lessen current security risks. Without this, high-visibility forums risk remaining primarily symbolic, reinforcing Moscow’s external image rather than transforming Dagestan’s internal realities.
