KYIV. Feb 8 (http://www.fixygen.ua/)- The crypto industry in Ukraine grew fivefold in 2021, Oleksandr Borniakov, the Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for IT Development, the head of the Diia.City project, said.
“The crypto industry should become a powerful driver for the development of the digital economy of Ukraine. In 2021 alone, the crypto industry has grown fivefold. I don’t know any other sectors of the economy that would grow at such a pace. Some $33 billion was invested by venture investors in the blockchain ecosystem. Ukraine can become a comfortable country for multi-billion dollar companies from all over the world,” he said at the Diia Summit in Kyiv.
According to Borniakov, the number of investments and start-ups also increased last year.
Not only Ukrainian, but also foreign companies are joining Diia.City today, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“We want not only Ukrainian, but also foreign companies to become residents of Diia.City. And as far as I know, both the first and the second, well-known, advanced our and foreign companies, are joining Diia.City today,” he said, opening the Diia.Summit on Tuesday.
Head of the State Agency of Ukraine for Tourism Development Maryana Oleskiv announced the allocation of about UAH 2 million to implement a strategy to promote Ukrainian cuisine in 2022, as well as another UAH 4 million to host the gastronomic conference Gastromasa in Ukraine. “We have a really cool cuisine, well-developed gastronomy, restaurant culture and business. This can become one of those tourist products that will attract foreign tourists,” Oleskiv said in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
In addition, she noted that UAH 50 million, which are provided to the department for marketing programs, also includes the promotion of gastronomy.
Oleskiv noted that the state tourism agency will work on the issue of promoting gastroculture together with the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. In particular, the matter concerns working with researchers and chefs.
“Our task is to work with chefs, help them learn, bring other chefs here, bring international events, talk to various international events so that they invite our chefs… When this networking comes true, it will be a big plus for the development of gastronomy here,” she added.
Among the important tasks, Oleskiv noted the need to identify regional cuisines for individual regions, create a basket of products and dishes for promotion in the world, and launch appropriate advertising campaigns.
“After we form a strategy, think over some targeted events, make videos, make paid advertising on gastronomy,” she said.
Germany has prepared a loan for Ukraine to develop projects in the hydrogen energy and plans to provide further financial assistance in this sector, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said.
“We, like the EU, invest in many projects in Ukraine. Therefore, the last time I made it clear that with regard to hydrogen, we will implement projects together with German business. Therefore, we have prepared a financial loan and are planning further financial assistance in this sector, because we, as a partner, are on the side of Ukraine,” Baerbock said at a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv on Monday.
In turn, Kuleba said that Ukraine and Germany agreed on concrete further steps in this area.
“We all know the subject of Nord Stream 2, but our countries do not live by it alone. We have a serious future that we want to create around renewable energy sources. In this regard, we paid special attention to projects in hydrogen energy, which should ideally connect our economies and be mutually beneficial for our states. We agreed on concrete further steps in this area,” the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) carried 2.790 million passengers in 2021, which is 61% more than in 2020, but 65% less than in pre-COVID 2019. According to the press service of the company, in particular, 1.582 million passengers were transported on charter flights over the past year (against 595,300 in 2020, 1.030 million in 2019), on regular flights – 1.207 million (1.133 million and 6.937 million respectively).
In total, UIA operated 20,600 flights in 2021, which is 45% more than in 2020 and 65% less than in 2019. Regular flights, in particular, amounted to 11,700 (10,600 in 2020, 52,800 in 2019), charter flights – almost 9,000 (3,600 and 5,500 respectively).
In addition, UIA transported 4,400 tonnes of cargo and mail last year compared to 7,400 tonnes in 2020 and 21,600 tonnes in 2019.
The company also notes that in 2021 UIA returned about $33 million to passengers for canceled flights due to COVID-19. In total, for the entire period of work in crisis conditions during the pandemic from April 2020 to December 31, 2021, the company returned about $57 million
“The transformation and optimization of UIA’s operational work in 2020-2021 resulted in an obvious change in the trend towards stabilization even during the crisis period, which became possible due to the adaptation of the company’s business model from network to hybrid and a significant reduction in costs,” the air carrier said.
