First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy Yulia Sviridenko, following a visit to Argentina and Chile this week, noted the presence of joint interest in investments and reported on the prospect of concluding bilateral free trade agreements.
“We know that there is already interest of companies from pharmaceutical, agro-sectors, processing industry, which want to deepen cooperation with Ukraine. The free trade agreement with Argentina, which we are currently working on, can also contribute to this. Cooperation with Argentina is reaching a qualitatively new level,” Sviridenko was quoted as saying in the press release of the Ministry of Economy on Thursday.
As First Deputy Prime Minister pointed out in social network X following a meeting with Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo, the countries have a lot in common: from economic structures to approaches to the organization of management. According to her, the parties agreed to hold a meeting of the Joint Ukrainian-Argentine intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation in October this year. The last time it was held 18 years ago. In addition, the possibility of holding a Ukrainian-Argentine business forum is being considered, the Ministry said in a release.
“This country is the leader of the strategically important for us region of Latin America, so strengthening the presence of Ukraine on the agenda – a contribution both to the development of business ties and security projects” – summarized Sviridenko.
She recalled that Argentina has allocated 16 packages of humanitarian aid to Ukraine for $600 thousand, and at the moment up to half a million Ukrainians live in the country.
In addition, representatives of the Ministry of Economy met with the Argentine Chamber of Commerce and Services (CAC) and the Argentine-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CAUCI) and invited business and government representatives to participate in the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2024), which will be held June 11-12 in Berlin.
“(…) On the agenda – the First Global Peace Summit initiated by President Vladimir Zelensky, strengthening business ties, deepening cooperation in the defense sector, support for the Ukrainian energy system against the background of Russia’s systemic shelling of our energy capacities,” – accentuated First Deputy Prime Minister.
It is indicated that the Ukrainian side also invited the leaders of Argentina to join the Global Peace Summit and become a co-leader of the working group on one of the items of the Peace Formula.
After Argentina, the Ukrainian delegation, which also includes the Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshyn, Deputy Minister of Economy Oleksiy Sobolev, Ukrainian Trade Representative Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Defense Dmytro Klymenkov, and representative of the Commissioner for Equal Rights and Freedoms of Rights of National Minorities of Political and Religious Views Mikhail Spasov, went to Chile.
“The first visit of a high-ranking Ukrainian delegation to Chile in 19 years,” Sviridenko emphasized on social network X. She also invited Chilean business and government representatives to the URC-2024 in Berlin, promising them very concrete projects from partners.
“We have a lot in common with Chile, especially in mining and critical materials. We hope to deepen cooperation in this area. We also discussed the issue of logistics. The next step of our cooperation is to deepen the dialog at the level of chambers of commerce and industry of our countries,” First Deputy Prime Minister said.
At a meeting with Chilean Economy Minister Niko Grau, Sviridenko said that both sides are interested in sharing experience in attracting investments, pointing out that there is already an example of a Ukrainian company that has invested in Chile.
“The areas where we see the greatest potential for growth are mining, especially in terms of critical materials, agribusiness and digitalization. Also, Chile has a rich experience in developing public-private partnerships and is ready to share it,” the First Deputy Prime Minister pointed out.
At a meeting with Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto Claveren, Sviridenko invited Chilean leaders to join the first Global Peace Summit, in particular, to lead the fourth point of the peace formula concerning the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported by Russia. She thanked Chilean President Gabriel Borich, who expressed his willingness to join the Summit.
On May 15, the voting in the National People’s Rating “Scientific Leader of Ukraine”, which was held with the support of the media holding “Kozyr Digital”, ended!
The voting was held from March 25 to May 15, 2024, and everyone could vote online for Ukrainian scientists and domestic higher education institutions using the platform https://top-science.com.ua.
According to the results of the online voting, in which more than 300,000 people took part, the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine won. In total, 26 universities were included in the ranking, including:
– Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine;
– Ivan Franko National University of Lviv;
– National Aerospace University named after M.E. Zhukovsky “Kharkiv Aviation Institute”;
– National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”;
– National University “Odesa Law Academy”;
– Lviv Polytechnic National University;
– National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine;
– Odesa National Medical University;
– V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University;
– Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University and others.
Iryna Strelkovska, Volodymyr Ivanyshyn, Maksym Tymoshenko, and others were included in the list of leaders in the voting for outstanding scientists. The rating aims to support the representatives of national science, as Ukrainian science today has one of the highest potentials in Europe. Every year, Ukrainian scientists create about 15,000 inventions in various fields, laying the foundations for new promising innovative directions.
Despite the war and the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian scientists and higher education institutions continue to work fruitfully for the development of the state and enhancement of its international image.
National People's Rating, Scientific Leader of Ukraine, Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine
The National Bank of Ukraine has decided to apply to PJSC Insurance Company Salamandra (Kiev) a measure of influence in the form of revocation of all licenses, according to the regulator’s website.
Also, in compliance with the requirements of the law “On Insurance”, in connection with the presence of the company’s obligations under insurance (reinsurance, coinsurance) contracts on May 14, 2024 decided to appoint a temporary administration in PJSC “IC “Salamandra” and removal of the governing bodies from the management of the company.
These decisions have been taken according to the results of planned inspection, conducted in October-December 2023, during which it was established the fact of realization by IC of risk activity, threatening the interests of creditors and insurers, namely formation of insurance reserves in insufficient amount (more than 10% of their sufficient amount, determined by the legislation of Ukraine) three times during the calendar year.
The decision on application of the measure of influence came into force on May 14, 2024.
After taking this decision, the temporary administrator should immediately begin to fulfill his duties, is noted in the message.
IC “Salamandra” (formerly – “DIM Insurance”) is part of the eponymous non-banking financial group, the ultimate beneficiary and owner of which is Yuri Yavtushenko.
IC Salamandra is a member of the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine.
Number of unemployed in Ukraine and job opportunities, 2023-2024
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
Population forecast for Ukraine in 2030-2100
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
Almost 31 thousand sole proprietorships ceased operations in the first 4 months of 2024. The most frequently closed businesses are in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions. More than 23% of newly established businesses closed in 2024.
30,904 businesses ceased operations in the first 4 months of 2024. However, the number of new businesses opened is twice as high – more than 74 thousand in the first quarter of this year.
The most frequent closures are in the retail sector – 10,773 (34.9%). Computer programming and wholesale trade are also in the top three, with 10.1% and 6.2% respectively.
Kyiv has the highest number of businesses closing – more than 3,800 or 12.4%. The second place in the anti-rating is occupied by Kharkiv region – almost 2.4 thousand businesses (7.7%). And Dnipropetrovs’k region closes the top, where almost 2.4 thousand businesses, or 7.7%, have also ceased their activities.
Odesa and Lviv regions are also in the anti-top, with 7.7% and 6.8% respectively.
More than 23% of the newly created PEs last year ceased operations in 2024, which is 7.3 thousand businesses.
