Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest will invest $500 million as an anchor investor in one of the green energy-focused investment funds now being formed by Black Rock to rebuild Ukraine, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Rostislav Shurma said at the Kyiv International Economic Forum on Thursday.
“Now there should be the first anchors who will invest the first hundreds of millions of dollars and show by their real actions that they believe in Ukraine. There is an Australian multibillionaire, the second richest man in Australia, Andrew Forrest, founder of Fortescue, one of the largest mining companies in the world, one of the largest investors in hydrogen technology, has publicly committed to invest the first $500 million in one of the funds that Black Rock is now preparing,” Shurma said.
According to him, the size of the fund is still difficult to name exactly, but it is estimated between $25 billion and $100 billion.
The Norwegian government is preparing to invest about NOK 1.5 billion in the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine.
According to the Norwegian government’s website, the investment comes in addition to the NOK 400 million that Norway previously donated to the fund. The funding was used to purchase drones, drone suppression equipment and artillery shells.
The new donation is part of the NOK 3 billion that the Norwegian government will provide for military support to Ukraine in 2022.
Florian Bollen, the new manager of the Tarantino Family restaurant chain, announced his intention to invest in the reconstruction of the Zhytniy Rynok (Zhytniy Market).
A new tenant is working on a reconstruction project in cooperation with Kyiv City State Administration and Zhytniy Rynok municipal enterprise, he said in an interview with Focus.
“The general idea is to make a comfortable public space with a place for Ukrainian producers and farmers, with platforms for public and social initiatives, with quality food at the food court, with comfortable places for trade. A craft brewery will be a highlight. Also in the plans are a cheese factory, a bakery, a children’s zone,” Bollen said.
According to him, reconstruction work can begin next year. At the same time, the businessman did not name the amount of planned investments.
“It is difficult to predict the final estimate amid war. The exchange rate is unstable, the logistics of construction materials is complicated. But I would like to start construction work next year. German Kraft Beer has a good reputation in the financial environment, we have the opportunity to receive affordable loans from European banks,” he emphasized.
Bollen explained that the building is on a long-term lease based on the results of tenders held by Kyiv City State Administration through the ProZorro e-procurement system.
As reported, the Tarantino Family restaurant chain in October 2022 came under the control of Florian Bollen, a German businessman and co-owner of German Kraft Beer craft breweries.
INVEST, KYIV, RECONSTRUCTION, RESTAURANT, Tarantino Family, Zhytniy Rynok
Switzerland will invest in public and private projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in various fields of activity of Ukraine: infrastructure, construction, transport, energy.
The relevant agreements were reached between Minister of the Environment of Switzerland Simonetta Sommaruga and Minister of Environmental Protection of Ukraine Ruslan Strilets during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano (Switzerland).
“We have made the first practical step for Ukraine to introduce market mechanisms of the climate agreement, create new climate financing channels in Ukraine and incentives for green development for Ukrainian business… I am convinced that the agreement between our governments is a good start for the ‘green’ post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and the achievement of climate goals under the Paris Agreement,” the minister said on Facebook on Monday.
Strilets clarified that Ukraine had pledged to provide Switzerland with verified results of reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere in return for the investments received.
The holding company UFuture intends to invest $20 million in the creation of industrial parks in Lviv, Vinnitsa and Bucha, UFuture founder Vasily Khmelnitsky said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
“I am considering plots for industrial parks, meeting with mayors. In Lvov and Vinnytsia, plots of 15 hectares, in Bucha – 20 hectares. In total (estimated investment) may be $ 20 million,” Khmelnitsky said.
In his opinion, these starting areas are too compact.
“Why is this not enough? What is 15 hectares? This is approximately 8-10 factories. And when you have built 10 factories and everything is fine there, then every year the place becomes even more attractive. An investor comes there who is satisfied with security and benefits, wants to build plant, and you already have nothing. Therefore, industrial parks need to be produced on areas of 100-200 hectares, but, unfortunately, there are not very many such sites, “Khmelnitsky said.
Regarding the sources of capital in the conditions of war, he said that he was counting on his own and credit resources.
“Today, almost nothing works for me, but I still have something, because I’m a rather big businessman. I met with a bank, which also has a difficult situation, we agreed that I would pay 50% on loans. “I’ll take some more loans from the bank. There are programs of 5, 10, 7%, this is set for economic growth, I think we need to give some soft loans,” Khmelnytsky said.
The full text of the interview with Vasily Khmelnytsky is published on the main page of the website of the Interfax-Ukraine agency
The Irish manufacturer of heat-insulating energy-efficient technologies Kingspan intends to invest EUR200 million in the creation of a construction technology hub in Ukraine.
“This investment is at the crossroads of three crises: the climate crisis, the energy security crisis, and the crisis caused by the Russian war against Ukraine. The new construction technology hub that we plan to create will make a positive contribution on all three fronts: support Ukraine rebuilding its economy, meet demand in Central and Eastern Europe on energy-efficient buildings and help Europe reduce dependence on oil and gas imports,” Jean Murtha, CEO of Kingspan Group, was quoted in a press release from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to him, the company expects to immediately start developing the project. It is assumed that the hub will be located in the west of Ukraine, its construction will be completed within five years. The implementation of the project will create 600 new jobs.
“Our goal is not only to rebuild the facilities destroyed by the Russian invaders, but also to create a modern innovative economy using the leading experience in urban development and the application of green technologies,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said, welcoming Kingspan’s decision to invest in Ukraine.
Kingspan, founded in 1972, specializes in building solutions for building envelopes (roof, walls, facades), as well as protective walls, cold storage doors, high-tech solid urethane and solid phenolic thermal insulation for roofs, walls, floors and pipelines. Kingspan operates 198 manufacturing facilities worldwide.
As reported, in April, Kingspan announced the completion of the exit from the Russian business. Russia accounted for less than 1% of Kingspan’s global operations. The company also donated $750,000 to UNICEF to set up five Blue Dot centers to help refugees on the Ukrainian border.
