Foreign economic activity as a factor of socio-economic development of the regions of the south of Russia

The article interprets the indicators of foreign economic activity of the regions of the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation (SFD RF) for the period 2019-2021, and clarifies the indicators of foreign trade with member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). It has been established that the economy of the regions of the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation as a whole has overcome the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. A slight decline in indicators reflecting the scale of foreign economic activity that took place in the period 2020-2021 was replaced by a growing trend, which ensured not only the restoration of business activity in the field of exports and imports, but also a significant increase in the scale of foreign trade. Factors have been identified that contribute to the diversification of foreign economic activity of the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation and the intensification of trade turnover with the countries of the EAEU, limiters of these processes, as well as trends indicating the diversification of trade and economic flows through the development of interaction with neutral and friendly states, the entry of economic entities of the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation into new markets marketing of its products and purchasing goods (services) from foreign contractors. The results of the study can be used by government bodies of the Russian Federation and constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the formation of state foreign economic policy, preparation and implementation of state export promotion programs.