Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Deutsche Bahn sign MoU on the cooperation and development of Ukrzaliznytsia
DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ —
On day three of Ukraine House Davos, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the House to congratulate the Organizing Committee on the success of this year’s event.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Honcharuk also chaired an invitation-only meeting of the National Investment Council of Ukraine, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Deutsche Bahn on the cooperation and development of Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways).
“Deutsche Bahn is Germany’s largest railway operator. This contract is not about concession, it is a strategic partnership aimed to develop Ukraine’s infrastructure,” said Oleksiy Honcharuk, Prime Minister of Ukraine. “I believe that German operational efficiency and zero tolerance for corruption will inspire changes in Ukrzaliznytsia. Ukraine retains full control over Ukrzaliznytsia – German experts will focus on reforming the enterprise management mechanisms.”
Also attending the National Investment Council meeting was Sir Suma Chakrabarti, President of the EBRD, who said, “EBRD remains the largest single investor in Ukraine, and 2019 was a standout year. We have doubled the scale of investments with over €1 billion invested during the year, two-thirds of which has been in the green economy. The new government has a mandate to implement genuine reforms, especially concession laws, as well as legislative and taxation procedures.”
The day was packed with exciting discussions from globally recognized speakers. During the morning panel sponsored by EBS, “More from Less: Imagining the Future of Work”, guests enjoyed a conversation on trends in the future of work with a globally renowned panel.
The afternoon sessions got underway with a talk on, “Untapped Potential: Ukraine As Europe’s Next Industrial Powerhouse” featuring top officials and industry experts. The panel was sponsored by Hillmont Partners and moderated by James Hart, Partner of Hillmont Partners. Speakers discussed new opportunities for privatization and the country’s industrial sector.
Dmytro Sennychenko, Head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, said: “Our goal is to purge inefficiency and monopolistic behavior in the economy so that assets can finally begin to contribute to the economy rather than harming it. In 2020, the State Property Fund will offer an investment menu consisting of more than 500 assets with unprecedented levels of transparency with the possibility of 20 times the return on investment”.
Later in the day, Victor Pinchuk Foundation hosted a talk with Oleg Sentsov, liberated political prisoner, Ukrainian filmmaker, writer and activist from Crimea. The Ukraine House Davos Organizing Committee expressed their gratitude to Mr. Sentsov for his invaluable role in the fight for Ukraine’s freedom. When asked about how the world understands the situation in Ukraine, Mr. Sentsov said: “Putin is a very dangerous, powerful and cruel enemy; he would rather give up the Kremlin than give up Crimea. It is crucial for the Ukrainian authorities and world leaders to understand that.”
The MHP-sponsored panel titled, “The $50-Billion Challenge: How Business and Government Can Create a Win-Win Investment Climate in the New Ukraine” gave a platform for speakers to discuss current and future investment opportunities in Ukraine. Yuriy Kosyuk, CEO and Founder of MHP said that for the first time in his more than 20 years of doing business in Ukraine, the government is open for dialogue and supporting Ukrainian businesses.
