Makhachkala, August 28, 2015. The Russian Internet Forum "RIF. Caucasus", held today in Dagestan, has become an important stage in the large nationwide project "RIF. Region 2015". The heads of governments of the North Caucasus regions implementing the state policy in the field of information and telecommunication technologies made welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony.

"The stated theme of the conference, along with the leading industry experts make the forum "RIF. Caucasus" the biggest IT-event across the whole Caucasus. We know that the high technologies have become a real engine and motto for social and economic development of many countries", - Dagestan minister of press and information Aznaur Adzhiev pointed out.

To prove that, the decision to start strategic cooperation among Dagestan ministry of press and information, the Association of Electronic Communications (RAEC), the Institute of the Internet (IRI) and the Regional Public Organization "Center of Internet Technologies" (ROCIT), aimed at development and promotion of Internet technologies in the North Caucasus republics was announced at the official opening of the Forum.

The first cooperation agreement was signed at the "RIF. Caucasus" between Dagestan ministry of press and information and ROCIT. It assumes to implement measures aimed at training and supporting young IT-personal, to enhance digital literacy, to hold the regional stage of the All-Russian contest "Positive content - 2015" in Dagestan.

The Institute for the Development of the Internet in partnership with the relevant ministries and departments of the Republic of Dagestan will create all the necessary conditions to involve IT-specialists of the North Caucasus region to the process of working out the program of the Russian Internet, created on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

"RIF.Region 2015" is a project devoted entirely to the Internet industry and new digital economy probably one of the youngest sectors of the global economy. The organizers of the "RIF. Caucasus" are RAEC, Dagestan ministry of press and information and the ONE TOUCH. Co-organizers of the conference: Institute for Internet Development, ROCIT, Russia’s Internet Initiatives Development Fund and Atlas Media.

It is expected that the forum will be held annually and developed together with the industry representatives from the Caucasus.