In times of war, exports are of strategic importance to Ukraine. It provides foreign exchange earnings and jobs, curbs migration and opens the way to long-term recovery. Therefore, the work on the new Export Strategy of Ukraine is not just an update of the document, but an attempt to lay the foundation for sustainable development in the coming years.
In April and May, a series of regional discussions on the draft of the new Export Strategy of Ukraine took place. These events have become a platform not only for presenting developments, but also for a real dialogue between business, government, and international partners. The main thing is that all parties understand that exports are now a matter of survival for Ukraine.
The power of partnership
The development of the new Export Strategy is an example of the coordinated work of state institutions, international partners and the expert community. The organiser of the process, the NGU ‘Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine’, in cooperation with UNDP and GIZ, funded by the governments of Japan and Germany, engaged stakeholders in a regional dialogue and provided a platform for taking into account the real experience of exporters in policy making.
The discussion focused on the European vector of export development.
Tetiana Anishchuk, Deputy Programme Director of EU4Business: SME Recovery, Competitiveness and Internationalisation, stressed that for more than four years, the European Union has been supporting Ukraine not only at the level of public policy, but also by directly helping businesses adapt to the conditions of European markets.
This is a comprehensive effort that includes expert, financial and technical assistance to the Ministry of Economy, support for business associations, and support for SMEs in internationalisation through grants, training and consultations. European support will not end with the development of the strategy: The EU plans to support implementation as well.
‘We believe that the new strategy should be developed on a professional basis, with the involvement of the best experts. And this is exactly the team that the Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine has managed to form,’ said the programme representative.
She also stressed the value of the open discussion format as a basis for the development of a sound public policy:
‘Public and private dialogue is not just a tool. It is a prerequisite for the quality implementation of policies and strengthening of Ukraine's economy.’
Tadayoshi Hiraki, Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine, also joined the discussion and stressed Japan's strategic interest in supporting Ukraine's economic recovery, in particular through the development of its export potential. He presented two platforms that can become a springboard for Ukrainian companies to global markets - J-Messe and J-Bridge.
‘Export development is a catalyst for GDP growth, technological upgrades and job creation. But it is possible only if there is a constant dialogue between business and the state,’ he said.
For its part, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine presented its vision of the strategy as a systemic solution to overcome internal barriers and enter new markets.
‘Exports are the key to a stable hryvnia, employment and curbing migration. We are not just writing a strategy, we are building a development infrastructure,’ said Valentyna Holovenko, Deputy Head of the Preferential Agreements Department at the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.
‘The work on the strategy involved an in-depth assessment of the current situation. We are looking for ways to help Ukrainian businesses - in particular exporters - enter foreign markets. We are grateful to the TIPSTER project for its support - both for the Ministry and for entrepreneurs. This is an example of truly fruitful cooperation,’ she added.
The TIPSTER project, implemented by the NGU ‘Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine’, brought together experts, representatives of the regions and government agencies to develop a document that reflects the real needs of business and the economy. As part of the project, the Foundation organised four regional discussions and engaged key Ukrainian experts in the preparation of the strategy.
Results
These events demonstrated that Ukrainian export-oriented business is ready to change and develop. Business wants to have a voice in policy-making, and today the government is ready to hear it. The strategy, which is expected to be approved in the near future, will be the result of joint work, taking into account the experience of entrepreneurs, regional specifics and the challenges faced by the country.
The new export strategy is a step towards a more modern economic model, where planning is based on dialogue, practice and openness. In times of war, when economic strength is one of the foundations of Ukraine's resilience, this approach gives us a chance not only to survive but also to consolidate our position in global markets.
The events were organised by the NGU ‘Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine’ within the framework of the project ‘Export Strategy of Ukraine in Times of War’ with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the financial support from the Government of Japan provided within the framework of the project ‘Transformational Recovery for Human Security in Ukraine’, and within the framework of the TIPSTER project which is being implemented by the NGU “Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine” with the financial support of the German government within the framework of the international cooperation project ReACT4UA (“Application and Implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in the field of trade”), implemented by the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.