Number of applicants per vacancy (comparison) as of 01.06.2023
Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news
Leaders of several more African Union countries will visit Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told African journalists in an interview.
“I am happy that the (African) delegation was here. Frankly speaking, I think we could expand such meetings. And I expected that more states could come to us. And indeed they are planning to. And we expect some more states to come, some more leaders. They will be in Ukraine,” the President said.
According to him, “it is important to communicate with these leaders, so that we look each other in the eyes, because it is important for them to see with their own eyes what is happening here and the consequences of the war. To listen, to hear. Not over the phone, not through the media, not through Lavrov.”
“When African leaders receive information about Ukraine through the Russian Foreign Ministry, it is wrong. We don’t have any mediation, we don’t have any dialog with the RF. We are at war with them. I would like you (Africans) to perceive information about Ukraine through yourselves, through your journalists,” he said.
The head of state also noted that he would like to be able to hold meetings with all the leaders of the African Union states and within the framework of the recent visit of the African delegation to Kiev he offered to hold such an extensive meeting on the territory of any of the African countries.
“We had several presidents sitting in our circle (as part of a previous meeting with a delegation from Africa). And we communicated about different things, about the consequences of this war, about the causes … We did not have enough time. We talked for 2.5 or 3 hours. And it was already quite a lot, but we lacked time and contacts,” – said Zelensky.
“And I believe, and I insisted on this very much, I really wanted to have the opportunity to meet with all the leaders. Why we suggested that it should be my meeting on the territory of any state of the African continent, where leaders can come? Because it is important that the society of your states can see us, can listen to us, can ask us, can get an answer. Not because of any media, but directly. And then they found the strength and courage to come to Ukraine and see what is happening here. To draw conclusions. This is very important,” he added.
During communication with journalists, the President also noted that the Ukrainian people deserve to trust in relations with the peoples of African states.
“And I would very much like to strengthen our relations, but it requires both sides to be ready for it,” summarized Zelensky.
Beer production in Ukraine in the first six months of this year reached 65.2 million dal, up 112.5% year-on-year, according to the website of the industry organization of brewers Ukrpyvo.
This figure is only 76.9% of the volume of beer production in Ukraine in 2021, the industry association said.
As reported, beer production in Ukraine in 2022 decreased by 27.9% compared to 2021 – to 122.8 million dal.
By the end of 2022, the brewing industry had partially recovered from a 50% drop in production in the first quarter due to the Russian invasion and the shutdown of some breweries. Thus, in the first four months of 2022, the decline amounted to 42.8% compared to the same period in 2021, January-May – 36.4%, January-June – 32%, January-July and January-August – 31.6% each, January-September – 30.5%, January-October – 28.6%, January-November – 28.1%, and 27.9% in the year before last.
PrJSC Kyiv Confectionery Factory Roshen, a part of Roshen Corporation, intends to increase its authorized capital by 33.2%, or UAH 500 million, to UAH 2.006 billion through an additional share issue.
According to the company’s announcement in the NSSMC’s information disclosure system, the investor will be its subsidiary Confectionery Corporation Roshen, which already owned 96.9017% of the shares at the end of the first quarter of this year.
Taking into account the additional issue, the share of the majority shareholder may reach 97.674%.
It is specified that the shareholders’ meeting will consider the issue of increasing the authorized capital on August 16 this year, in particular, the non-use of the shareholders’ preemptive right to purchase shares of the additional issue and its implementation in one stage.
In total, it is planned to issue 2 billion ordinary registered shares with a par value of UAH 0.25, with the sale price to be determined by the Supervisory Board.
Roshen Corporation is one of the top 30 largest confectionery manufacturers in the world. It includes Kyiv, Kremenchuk, two Vinnytsia confectionery factories and Vinnytsia Dairy Plant, a biscuit complex in Boryspil (Ukraine); Klaipeda Confectionery Factory (Lithuania) and Bonbonetti Choco factory (Hungary). Production activities at the Lipetsk factory (Russia) have been suspended since April 1, 2017.
The corporation produces about 320 types of confectionery products. The total production volume reaches 450 thousand tons of products per year.
Roshen’s network of branded stores in Ukraine includes about 70 stores in different regions of the country. The first one was opened in 2009 in Kyiv.
In 2022, PrJSC Kyiv Confectionery Factory Roshen posted a net loss of UAH 984 thousand compared to UAH 25.779 million in profit a year earlier, while the company’s revenue decreased from UAH 979.286 million to UAH 903.195 million.
The ultimate beneficiary of the company is Oleksiy Poroshenko, the son of former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.
NEC Ukrenergo, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Finance have signed two agreements with the World Bank to provide the company with $240 million in grant aid to improve the reliability of the energy system, Ukrenergo Chairman of the Board Volodymyr Kudrytskyy said.
“Almost $240 million is another significant contribution from our international partners to ensure the sustainability of our connection to the European energy system and the restoration of high-voltage substations,” he wrote on his Facebook on Tuesday evening.
According to his message, the first agreement provides Ukrenergo with grant funds from the German government, which will be used for the purchase and installation of STATCOM – special devices that increase the stable operation of the power grid.
“Ukrenergo fulfills an important technical condition of ENTSO-E to strengthen our connection to the European grid. STATCOM devices will not only increase the stability of the Ukrainian energy system, but will also have a positive impact on the balance of the entire interconnected European continental grid,” Kudrytskyi explained.
Another document determines the transfer of assistance to the NEC for the purchase of special equipment, autotransformers and other high-voltage equipment damaged by Russian missile and drone strikes.
At the same time, the head of Ukrenergo thanked the Ukrainian government, WB Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Antonella Bassani and WB Regional Director for Eastern Europe Arup Banerjee “for the fruitful joint cooperation and strengthening of Ukraine’s energy security”.
U.S. Agency for International Development USAID Administrator Samantha Power condemned Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the “grain initiative” and announced $250 million in support for Ukraine’s agriculture sector, which has suffered as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion, USAID said.
“The United States is providing this assistance because of its Agriculture Sustainability Initiative-Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine). In total, the U.S. government has already directed $350 million to the initiative. The agency plans to engage the private sector, other donors and foundations to raise an additional $250 million,” the USAID press office quoted Power as saying during a visit to the Port of Odessa on Tuesday.
The additional funds will be used to expand critical agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation systems, grain elevators, transloading facilities, and port and border infrastructure.
In addition, USAID will expand support to small and medium-sized agricultural businesses so that they have access to financing and resources to plan for planting and harvesting in 2023.
The agency noted that the Russian full-scale invasion has caused more than $6.6 billion in direct damage to Ukraine’s agricultural sector.
“AGRI-Ukraine will continue to help Ukraine’s farmers produce, store, and export agricultural products and grain to the world,” USAID assured.
The AGRI-Ukraine initiative was launched in July 2022 and supports more than 30% of Ukraine’s registered farmers. Thus, the U.S. provides seeds, fertilizers, agricultural and financial services and storage.
Thanks to USAID support, farmers were able to store more than 843,000 tons of grain, and more than 600 farmers received nearly $49.8 million.
International companies such as Bayer, Grain Alliance, Kernel, and Nibulon are investing in programs to support Ukraine’s agricultural sector. The World Bank has also joined AGRI-Ukraine in financing reforms in the sector.
