This will be the eighth informal CIS summit since the former Soviet republics established the loose organization in 1991. The CIS leaders last met in Moscow on July 22, 2006.
Apart from economic issues the CIS leaders could discuss the concept of transforming the organization into an interstate alliance. This will be a continuation of last year's initiative to reform the CIS voiced by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Speaking of his idea, Nazarbayev said it would be necessary to agree on common schemes based on migration policies, transport, education, the fight against modern challenges and humanitarian problems.
Today's summit will gather all the twelve presidents, including Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, the leader of Turkmentistan, which has been an associate member since August 2005. Turkmenistan has not actually taken part in CIS summits in that status.