The founder of Alibaba Group Jack Ma has said at the Kyiv International Economic Forum that he fell for Ukraine a long time ago and sees a large potential for development.
“Such a wonderful combination like this cannot fail,” he said at the forum, noting the fertile land, open and ready for change people, beautiful women and rich history among Ukraine’s advantages.
The founder of Alibaba said that there are few countries in the world where the president is a trifle over forty, the prime minister is thirtysomething, and some ministers are 28, and this is positive.
Ma said that he would invite his business partners to visit Ukraine.
In his opinion, Ukrainian-Chinese relations should be actively developing.
He also called for changing the situation when AliExpress products go to Ukraine from four to seven days “like in the last century.”
During his visit to Ukraine, Ma met with the president, visited a number of universities and will also be on a visit to the UNIT.City innovation park.
On November 12-13, 2019, Kyiv will host the 11th international conference, Petroleum Ukraine 2019. This was announced by the organizer of the event, A-95 Consulting Group.
Petroleum Ukraine is a central meeting point for the elite of the Ukrainian fuel market, owners and top managers of Ukrainian and foreign companies. More than 200 delegates visit the forum every year, including the largest players: Belarusian Oil Company, PKN Orlen, Ukrtatnafta, Proton Energy Group, OKKO, WOG, AMIC, Wexler Group, Vitol, Trafigura, Coral Energy, Alliance Energo Trade, and many others.
This year, the central topics of the event will be: the transformation of sources of fuel supply in Ukraine, the reform of the fuel trade control system, and alternative energy.
“The fuel market is experiencing an extremely difficult and eventful stage in its history. At the same time, there is a search for alternative sources of supply, a transition to a tougher fiscal control system and fierce competition between both legal players and the shadow market. Simultaneously, the new reality is shaping up with an understanding for the need for clean energy,” says Serhiy Kuyun, director of A-95 Consulting Group and moderator of Petroleum Ukraine.
Panel discussion will include reports by representatives of relevant ministries and departments (Ministry of Energy, the State Fiscal Service, and Ministry of Defense), state-owned companies (Ukrzaliznytsia, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine), leading producers and suppliers of petroleum products, analysts from international energy agencies, owners and top managers of leading gas filling stations.
The first Petroleum Ukraine forum was held in 2009. A-95 Consulting Group is also the organizer of the largest conferences for participants in the liquefied petroleum gas market (LPG Ukraine) and suppliers engaged in transportation by sea (Black Sea Petroleum Trading).
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) estimates GDP growth in the third quarter of 2019 compared to the corresponding period of 2018 at 3.5%, according to the NBU’s inflation report. According to the NBU’s forecast, the growth of Ukraine’s GDP in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to the corresponding period of 2018 will be 3.3%.
“According to the NBU’s estimates, in the third quarter of 2019 real GDP growth slowed down (to 3.5% year-on-year) primarily due to weaker indicators of certain basic activities,” the report said.
Thus, according to the central bank, the situation deteriorated in industry, in particular, mining and metallurgy, against the background of the further deterioration of external conditions for exporters. This, in turn, affected the performance of freight transport. The results of financial and insurance activities also weakened, primarily due to a less favorable comparison base.
At the same time, the NBU said agricultural growth rates remained high, they were supported by a significant harvest of late grains and oilseeds, which offset the lower yield of potatoes and fruits.
GDP qrowth in the third quarter was supported by consumer demand amid a significant improvement in consumer sentiment, higher wages, and pensions. This supported high growth in retail and passenger traffic, the report said.
SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) on October 26, 2019 serviced its first in eight years flight to Ukraine on the Oslo-Kyiv route, the Boryspil international airport has said in a report. SAS flies to Oslo’s main airport – Gardermoen.
The airline will make regular flights from Kyiv to Oslo with a frequency of three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing from Kyiv at 14.00 and arriving in Oslo at 15.50. From Oslo to Kyiv, the SAS will take off at 09:30 and land at 13:10. Travel time is 2 hours and 50 minutes.
Earlier, SAS had already flown to Ukraine, operating Copenhagen-Kyiv flights until March 25, 2011. The decision to terminate the flights was made by the airline due to the unprofitability of the route.
In 2012-2014, the Oslo-Kyiv route was operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle. Also, the Hungarian airline Wizz Air transported passengers on the same route.
Ukraine plans to open an office of innovations in Jerusalem pursuant to agreements between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has said.
“Ukraine and Israel are getting closer – an important event. Following the results of the agreements between President Zelensky and the Israeli Prime Minister, we plan to open an innovations office in Jerusalem, which, together with the Ukrainian embassy in Tel Aviv, will help new industries of the two countries find partners,” he said on Twitter.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on October 25, 2019 put into circulation the 1,000-hryvnia banknote, the NBU has reported on its website.
“From today, banks will be able to get it at the National Bank and give it out to their customers. This banknote is now a valid means of payment in Ukraine. It can be freely used to pay in a retail network or make a deposit with a bank,” the press service of the governor of the central bank said, citing Yakiv Smolii.
According to him, the key advantages of putting into circulation the new banknote with a face value of UAH 1,000 are an increase in the convenience of payments and a reduction in the cost of producing and processing banknotes. The 1,000-hryvnia banknote replaces in circulation some of the banknotes with a face value of UAH 100, 200 and 500. In addition, the appearance of the new banknote will simplify payments and savings.
As the central bank said, the last time the highest face value banknote – UAH 500 UAH was put into circulation 13 years ago. At the same time, Ukrainians’ incomes are rising, prices are changing, therefore, according to theoretical studies used to determine the optimal banknote number by the central banks of the world, to ensure normal money circulation in Ukraine, banknotes of a higher face value than UAH 500 are needed.
According to the press service, the new banknote combines advanced design and money security technologies.
“The 1,000-hryvnia banknote is the highest face value our national currency has today. It is therefore well protected. This banknote contains more than 20 modern security elements, including two modern optically variable elements. Everyone can independently verify its authenticity,” Smolii said.
So, turning the banknote in your hands, you can easily check its modern security element – the SPARK OVI element in the form of a crystal flower, which should gradually change color – from golden to jade green. Another innovative security feature is the “window” thread. This partially embedded in the paper purple polymer thread contains the digits representing the banknote’s face value and the trident – the small coat of arms of Ukraine. Tilting of the banknote brings out the kinematic effect, the background image moves in the opposite direction.
The front of the banknote features a portrait of Volodymyr Vernadskyi, an outstanding scientist, one of the founders and the first president of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, created in 1918. The building of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is at the back of the banknote.
The 1,000-hryvnia banknote inherits the new modernized design of the upgraded 20, 100 and 500 hryvnia banknotes.
