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On November 7, 2024, the 45th All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation “South Pacific Region in Past and Present: History, Economy, Politics, Culture” was held at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Alexander Rogozhin, Head of the Group of Economic Problems of the Center for Development and Modernization Studies of IMEMO, Cand. of Science (Economics) spoke at the conference with a report “The West and the Pacific Islands – Adjustment of the Foreign Policy Course”.

The participants discussed the following topics:

• 1. History of Russian contacts with the countries of the South Pacific Region.
• 2. Contribution of Russian figures to the politics, economy, science and culture of the countries of the South Asia-Pacific Region. 
• 3. Peculiarities of the current economic situation of the countries of the South Pacific Region. 
• 4. Problems of domestic and foreign policy of the countries of the region.
• 5. Education, science, culture and art in the South Pacific countries.

The event touched upon a wide range of issues related to the historical, current and future development of the countries of the South Pacific Region, their interaction within the region and with their closest neighbors, and their role in the international arena. The problems and peculiarities of economic, social, cultural, technological, scientific, educational development, demographic and ethnic situation, modern threats and prospects for solving existing problems were considered. The object of study were both European peoples inhabiting the countries of the South Pacific Region and purely indigenous peoples.

Conference organizer: Center for Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.