Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

50 Years of Vietnam’s Reunification: Historical Milestone and International Perspectives

On April 30, 2025, Vietnam celebrates the 50th anniversary of the country’s reunification, which has become a major milestone in the history of not only the republic itself but also the entire Southeast Asian region. This event put an end to the long-lasting military conflict and became a symbol of the victory of national unity, self-determination and independence.

Historical significance

On April 30, 1975, the fall of Saigon ended a more than twenty-year war that claimed millions of lives. This date marked the unification of North and South Vietnam and the beginning of a new stage in the country’s history.

The liberation of South Vietnam was the result of the Vietnamese people’s heroic struggle for sovereignty, will to self-determination, and ability to resist external interference.

Half a century of transformation: economic and social breakthrough

Today, Vietnam is among the fastest growing economies in Asia. Since the launch of the Đổi Mới reforms in 1986, the country’s GDP has increased tenfold.

– GDP in 2023 exceeded $476 billion;

– Exports reached a record $405.53 billion;

– The country has become a major production and logistics hub for global corporations.

Active foreign economic policy, steady growth rates, attention to innovation and green economy – all this shapes Vietnam’s image as a reliable international partner.

Potential for cooperation with Ukraine

In the context of global supply chain reformatting and geopolitical shifts, Vietnam-Ukraine relations are gaining new importance.

– Ukraine offers strong agricultural and engineering potential;

– Vietnam – access to ASEAN, low production costs, and logistics location.

Cooperation is possible in the following areas:

– Energy (solar and wind),

– IT and outsourcing,

– electronics and textile production,

– agricultural technologies and education.

Looking to the future

Celebrating its half-century anniversary, Hanoi is not only summarizing its historical results, but also signaling its readiness to meet new global challenges. Vietnam’s economic strategy until 2045 envisages joining the ranks of highly developed countries.

In this context, deepening ties with Ukraine, as part of the new Eastern European configuration, may open additional channels for the development and modernization of both countries.

Information about the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Area: about 331,212 km²

Population: about 98 million people (2022)

Literacy rate: about 94%.

Main trading partners: China, USA, Japan, South Korea, Germany

Main exports: electronics, textiles, footwear, seafood, coffee, rice

GDP growth over the past 10 years: from 2013 to 2023, GDP grew from $187 billion to $410 billion, indicating significant economic growth in the country.

Ukrainian plastic surgeons unite to develop reconstructive medicine

Leading plastic surgeons from all over Ukraine gathered at the Breast Weekend 2.0 conference organized by Lita Plus clinic on the initiative of its founder, Sergey Derbak.

At the conference, which took place on April 26 in Uzhhorod, leading experts discussed, among other things, modern approaches to reconstruction after trauma and cancer, which is an extremely important area for Ukrainian medicine in the context of war and the ever-growing need to restore the quality of life of victims.

“Today, plastic and reconstructive surgery in Ukraine is reaching a new level. It is not only about restoring appearance, it is about restoring people’s faith in themselves, in life, in the future. And we, the medical community, must do everything possible to support our people and our country,” said Serhiy Derbak, founder of Lita Plus clinic and initiator of the conference.

Breast Weekend 2.0 has become not only a manifestation of support for the army, but also an important step for the development of plastic and reconstructive surgery in Ukraine, an industry that is now gaining new strategic importance and shaping the future of national medicine.

Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/pharmacy/1067245.html

 

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Safety criteria have become most important factor for buyers of new-build homes, according to expert

When choosing their future home, buyers prefer new-build properties in areas with well-developed infrastructure for shelter, modern fire safety systems, and autonomous energy sources, according to Irina Mikhaleva, CMO Alliance Novobud.

“Over the past three years, the criteria for choosing a home have changed. Buyers have become more practical, demanding in terms of quality, and adapted to the realities of war. They prefer homes in safe regions or areas with developed infrastructure for shelter, modern fire safety systems, and autonomous power sources,” Mikhaleva said.

Alliance Novobud is responding to changes in housing selection criteria by including spaces in its projects for temporary shelters with automatic door opening/closing and video surveillance.

“In our projects in the capital, we offer spacious and secure underground parking lots, provide access to autonomous energy sources for building utilities, and offer well-thought-out apartment layouts that meet the diverse needs of buyers,” said Mikhaleva.

Overall, she said, demand for housing in the capital has changed significantly since 2022. Whereas previously buyers were looking for interesting new projects in the comfort and comfort+ classes, with a wide choice of concepts and areas, they are now focused on affordable options that are nearing completion. The focus is on apartments that are covered by the “єОселя” program or are available on installment plans from the developer.

In contrast, the suburban market remains active: developers are launching new high-quality projects with a wide selection of housing with different concepts and amenities at affordable prices.

According to Mikhalova, several factors are influencing the outflow of buyers from the capital’s market to the suburbs. The main factor is the shortage of finished or nearly finished housing in the currently popular comfort class in the capital, which will only get worse. There are almost no new projects, nor are there any land plots in promising areas of the city. Buyers are also more interested in the more affordable cost of housing in the suburbs and the opportunity to take advantage of the “єОселя” program.

At the same time, suburban projects offer more high-quality options close to green areas, with transport and amenities. There is greater demand for such projects from IDPs from the eastern and southern regions, who prefer quiet, green suburbs.

“In the next year or two, demand in the suburbs will grow steadily, and buyers will be interested in affordable and relatively inexpensive housing formats,” Mikhaleva believes.

Among the trends, the expert also highlighted a rational approach, with buyers opting for smaller square footage. As a result, demand for one- and two-bedroom apartments, which are more affordable and easier to maintain, has increased. At the same time, living spaces that can be used for both residential and remote work remain relevant.

At the same time, she emphasized that the trend of rising prices per square meter will continue due to the growth of prices for the components of the cost of new buildings.

“If the macroeconomic situation remains more or less stable, prices are likely to rise by 5-10% due to inflation and the gradual recovery of the construction industry. Demand from migrants and a shortage of new housing will also drive up prices. In the event of external/internal shocks or instability in the financial markets, current prices may remain unchanged,” she said.

According to the LUN new construction portal, Alliance Novobud was founded in 2006. Since 2010, the company has commissioned 37 buildings and parking lots, and is currently developing nine buildings in the Krona Park II residential complex in Brovary and a premium-class project in the capital, Montreal House.

 

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Nickel production in world will grow by 5.9% – INSG predicts

Primary nickel production in the world will increase by 5.9% to 3.735 million tons in 2025, according to the International Nickel Study Group (INSG).

In 2024, it increased by 11.1% to 3.526 million tons.

These estimates do not take into account the possibility of any disruptions in the operation of enterprises, INSG said in a statement.

Indonesia is expected to continue to increase production of various types of nickel products, including nickel pig iron (NPI). In China, nickel production is forecast to grow this year due to higher output of cathode nickel and nickel sulfate, while NPI production is expected to decline further.

In other countries, mainly due to problems with profitability, a number of production facilities have been mothballed, reduced output or are considering one of these options in the future, INSG said.

Growth in the use of nickel in batteries for electric vehicles was weaker than expected, in particular due to competition from other types of batteries (mainly lithium-iron-phosphate), the organization’s analysts say.

Global consumption of primary nickel is expected to increase by 5.7% this year to reach 3.537 million tons. Last year, it increased by 4.8% to 3.347 million tons.

Thus, the global nickel market will remain in surplus. The surplus of the metal in 2023 amounted to 170 thousand tons, in 2024 – 179 thousand tons, and by the end of 2025, production will exceed demand by 198 thousand tons, according to INSG.

INSG is an independent intergovernmental organization founded in 1990 and based in Lisbon, Portugal. The members of the group are nickel producing and consuming countries: Australia, Brazil, Cuba, France, Germany, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

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Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance has announced competition for vacant position on NBU Council

The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy has announced a competition for a vacant position on the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), setting the deadline for applications as May 22, 2025.

“We had a meeting with the IMF, and they expressed their position on the need to fill the vacant position,” said committee head Danylo Getmantsev during the meeting.

He said that the deadline for accepting applications from candidates for the position of member of the National Bank Council is one month, until 4 p.m. on May 22, 2025.

“We will listen, conduct a selection process, as we always do – openly and transparently,” Getmantsev added.

As reported, in the memorandum of the extended financing program with the IMF, updated after the seventh review, the Ukrainian side noted that it plans to fill the vacant positions in the NBU Council by the end of April 2025.

In addition to the head of the NBU, the National Bank Council has eight other members: four are appointed by the president and four by the Verkhovna Rada for a term of seven years. Currently, Igor Veremiy and Vasily Furman have been appointed under the president’s quota (in June and November 2022), and Vasily Gorbali, Anatoly Barsukov, and Elena Shcherbakova have been appointed under the Verkhovna Rada’s quota (in September 2020 and December 2022).

 

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Schneider Charge Pro simplifies charging for growth of electric vehicles

– The open solution provides fast installation and optimizes reimbursement processes to support fleet electrification.

– Minimizes power outages to accelerate the development of charging infrastructure in multi-family buildings and private homes.

– Remote monitoring through one easy-to-use mobile application.

Schneider Electric, a leader in digital transformation in energy management and automation, has launched Schneider Charge Pro, a reliable, energy-efficient electric vehicle (EV) charging solution in Europe to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles among commercial fleet and apartment building owners. In line with the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which requires the modernization of EV chargers by 2027, Schneider Charge Pro aims to address key barriers to growth in a complex and fragmented market landscape as a comprehensive, affordable solution for electric mobility.

More than just a charging station, Schneider Charge Pro is part of a fully integrated turnkey solution that simplifies the charging process from start to finish, making it easy for charging point operators (CPOs) and building owners to upgrade or install new EV charging stations, and easy and smooth for electricians to install. The solution also comes with open system software that efficiently tracks charging times, simplifying the process of reimbursing CPOs for employees who charge EVs that are part of a residential complex’s fleet.

This open solution is complemented by two new products designed to provide fast and reliable access to electric vehicle charging for cars, vans and other electric vehicles. The EVCE MFH solution, designed specifically for multifamily buildings, manages electricity loads in real time, allowing large numbers of EVs to be charged without overloading or disrupting power supply to tenants or the building. This is supported by a new cloud-based remote monitoring tool that allows for off-site pre-commissioning and faster on-site commissioning through a single, intuitive mobile app.

“As the market and regulatory environment rapidly evolves, Schneider Electric continues to lead the way in the new energy era,” said Nadezh Petit, Chief Innovation Officer at Schneider Electric. “Schneider Charge Pro builds on our century-long legacy of energy management innovation by offering an open, affordable and efficient EV charging solution designed to enable companies to easily electrify their fleets. By simplifying the adoption of electric vehicles for fleet operators, building owners, electricians and apartment buildings, we ensure compliance with EU regulations while helping companies accelerate their electrification goals, move forward and make the transition to sustainable energy.”

The Schneider Charge Pro electric vehicle charging solution is now available in France, Ukraine, and Hong Kong, with more countries to follow within a year.

To obtain the brochure, please follow this link.

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About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to create impact by empowering everyone to make the most of our energy and resources, ensuring progress and sustainability for all. We call it Life Is On.

Our mission is to be a trusted partner in sustainability and efficiency.

We are a global technology leader, bringing world-class expertise in electrification, automation and digitalization to smart industries, reliable infrastructure, future-proof data centers, smart buildings and intuitive homes. Drawing on our deep industry expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end AI-enabled industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, creating digital twins to drive profitable growth for our customers.

Ourmain resource is our 150,000 employees and more than a million partners operating in more than 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We support diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all.

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