As previously alluded to following our annual general meeting last month, Rusneftegaz can today confirm that we have now finalized a new five-year investment program, ultimately replacing the previous iteration that concluded six months ago. The latest set of proposals published in this document will not be circulated publicly but are vastly different from all prior versions of this strategy, largely reflecting the major changes to our enterprise and the consequential events that have unfolded over the course of the last decade. Although its precursor faced significant revisions while it was effective as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and geopolitical tensions, the most compelling determinants for the now-current plan were internal factors rather than external influences. In response to these developments, our Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Aleksandr Filyurin, gave the following remarks:
“I am very pleased that we are beginning the next phase of our investment program. Obviously, we have been in transition for the past few years, and I am happy that we now have a plan that reflects how we are operating now. We have made a lot of progress here in a very short amount of time. Commodity trading is now obviously the most important part of our operations, so to be able to invest even more in expanding it further is really great, you know? I mean, that is not to say that we don’t value the other parts of our business, we have invested a lot of money building our oil and electricity operations over the past ten years. And if you look at how it has been worked out, there is not much more we can do there without wasting money, so I really think that we have made the right decision here. To be honest, I am pleased that we can move on to our next round of projects. Our financial forecasts for the next few years are really strong, and I am very excited to be part of it.”
It is noteworthy that since 2015, we have allocated substantial amounts of funding to upgrade our infrastructure and enhance our existing assets. Consequently, all our business units have now fully completed overhauling all their respective production facilities, and thus expending additional funds on equipment that is now state-of-the-art is no longer necessary. Similarly, it should also be noted that our undertakings have evolved markedly in recent times, with international commodity trading emerging as the most critical of all our operations. This radical transformation means that we have been required to adapt accordingly, and with this duly considered, impetus must be placed on acquiring even larger volumes of crude oil and refined petroleum to expand this venture further. With even greater resources potentially at our disposal, we would increase our capability to ship such products to every corner of the world, greatly expanding our impression within the broader global market.
Both the outline and principal objectives of this strategy were approved by our stakeholders at the yearly congress, with our board of directors then formulating the outcome of these discussions into a coherent policy that can be implemented throughout the remainder of this decade. Resultantly, our executive leadership has opted to instigate a vastly different program for the next five years, with our investment budget to be reduced accordingly. For example, we have not allocated any spending for the acquisition of any new assets for the duration of this plan, although a generous fund has been apportioned to maintain all our existing sites to the highest standard possible. In this cycle, our management believes that increasing production rates through purchasing oil extraction licenses or power generation, either in Russia or internationally, should not be a priority at this time. While both geopolitics and economic circumstances serve as major factors behind this particular decision, we have expended vast sums in the past attempting to acquire new ventures globally with limited tangible outcomes, and hence such outlays have been curtailed.
It is also vital to note that market conditions currently favor the sellers of such properties over potential buyers, and it is therefore fiscally inefficient to engage in these actions at a financial premium. In spite of this, Rusneftegaz does retain an extraordinary capacity to borrow should any lucrative opportunities arise in the future, and as exhibited in the past few years, our plans shall always be adaptable if necessary. Whether this was to accommodate the delays caused by the pandemic or to grow our trading operation to include agrochemicals, our versatility remains one of our greatest strengths. However, if we were to consider borrowing money in the immediate term, any cash loaned would presumably be utilized to expand our international marketing activities, but it is crucial to note that our corporation is not a prolific debtor.
Although the changes that are to be realized over the ensuing years are comprehensive and will encompass all areas of our enterprise, we shall continue to fund all the existing schemes that we deem fundamental for our long-term prosperity. With this taken into account, it is imperative that our ambitious research and development projects are in no way inhibited or delayed, and thus the budget for each of these proposals has not been cut. Ultimately, our board views our studies into hydrogen power and electrolysis as critical to ensuring we mitigate the potential impact of any adaptations to the energy supply in the decades ahead. We have similarly assigned a material amount to execute the results of our corporate strategic review, with the outcome set to be announced in the coming months after the plans were approved by our shareholders at the last annual general meeting.
The notion that this action is necessary at this stage is a testament to our recent success and how the outlook for our business remains wholly positive in both the short and long term, despite the evident challenges that we face. We still hold tremendous ambition as we seek to expand our presence in the market further and ultimately sustain our period of exceptional growth. At present, we remain well-equipped to capitalize on any improvement in economic conditions in what is an ever-evolving world and believe that this new strategy shall enable this to continue accordingly long into the future. Any queries regarding these developments may be directed via the conventional channels of email and telephone, but please be aware that we have no intention of circulating any materials publicly at this time. We necessitate your cooperation and understanding in relation to this important matter.