As part of CIGI's ongoing work on Emerging Economies, CIGI has initiated a partnership with the Institute for Complex Strategic Studies (ICSS), Moscow, Russia. The Institute for Complex Strategic Studies (ICSS) is one of the leading Russian think-tanks focusing on issues of economic policy, with special attention given to monetary, fiscal, and industrial policies, financial markets, foreign economic activity and socio-economic policy. The first joint CIGI-ICSS initiative is a workshop scheduled to take place at CIGI in Waterloo, November 25-27, 2007.
The workshop will provide the opportunity for both CIGI and the ICSS to present their recent work and identify areas of further cooperation. ICSS experts will discuss, among others, Russia's role in global climate change negotiations and the proposed fiscal reform in Russia pertaining to the abolition of the VAT, whereas CIGI experts will present their research related to similar issues in China. The workshop also presents an opportunity for the two institutions to discuss themes for a conference planned for 2008. The conference will bring together experts from Russia and China, and potentially other BRICSAM countries to discuss issues of mutual interest. Proposed themes include the vulnerability of emerging economies to global financial crises and role of central banks; exchange rate policies; inward FDI restrictions; and environmental issues and related policies.