Event Details 

• Date: 20 February 2024 (Tuesday) 
• Time: 18:00-19:30 Tokyo, 11:00-12:30 Kyiv 
• Venue: United Nations University – Elizabeth Rose Conference Hall/Zoom 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) are to co-host a public event titled "Inclusive Economic Growth and the Role of the Private Sector for Ukraine’s Reconstruction" on 20 February in a hybrid format (onsite venue: Elizabeth Rose Conference Hall at United Nations University).  

Economic recovery is becoming key in Ukraine’s reconstruction process, and support for it from international community is essential. Two years since its escalation in February 2022, the war has been causing significant damage to Ukraine’s economy, The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 29.2% in 2022, and the poverty rate increased from 5.5% in 2021 to 24.1% in 2022 (based on the poverty line of U.S. $6.85 per person per day). The International Labour Organization (ILO) reported that employment in 2022 was 15.5% (2.4 million jobs) below its level before the full-scale invasion and war.   

As a result of the war, businesses in Ukraine have suffered significant losses. According to a UNDP study, about 50% of enterprises were operating at only 10-60% of pre-war capacity as of mid-April 2022. Access to financing has also become a major issue for MSMEs since the full-scale war started.   

UNDP is supporting the Government's efforts to help businesses remain and thrive in Ukraine. To overcome the displacement of people, as well as disruptions in production capacities and value chains, UNDP has provided a range of targeted livelihood support measures – from small grants to training for women-led businesses, which have reached 20,000 MSMEs. As more and more areas in Ukraine, such as Kyiv and its surrounding oblasts, regain minimum security levels, it is critical to quickly boost the local economy to support a steady and swift recovery. 

Local economic revitalization and a robust private sector enable individuals and families to secure their livelihoods, thereby reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing overall human security. Furthermore, private sector involvement could lead to innovative grass-roots solutions at the community level, strengthening the social fabric and creating more robust foundations for withstanding and recovering from futures crises. 

Private sector collaboration for Ukraine’s reconstruction is the main item on the agenda for the Japan-Ukraine Conference on the Promotion of Economic Reconstruction, which is to be held on 19 February 2024. On the occasion of a visit to Japan by Ms. Ivana Živković, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Europe and the CIS, and Mr. Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine, UNDP, together with the Government of Japan, policymakers, academia, civil society, media and development agencies, will organize a special public event  on the topic of economic recovery and role of the private sector in Ukraine. 

• Event Title: Inclusive Economic Growth and the Role of the Private Sector in Ukraine’s Reconstruction 
• Date: 20 February 2024 
• Time: 18:00-19:30 (there will be a period for networking after the event) 
• Format: Hybrid with simultaneous interpretation of Japanese and English 
• Venue: United Nations University – Elizabeth Rose Conference Hall/Zoom 
• Organizers: UNDP, JETRO  
• Official supporter: Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) 

Advance Registration Required: 

• Registration for in-person: 参加登録フォーム / Registration Form 会場参加用 / For in-person participation (office.com) 
• Registration for online: Webinar Registration - Zoom 

Programme (tentative) 

• 18:00-18:05 Welcome Remarks

Susumu Kataoka, President, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) 

• 18:05-18:15 Congratulatory Remarks
• 18:15- 18:30 Presentation of the Assessment on impact of war to SMEs in Ukraine (with video) 

Ivana Živković, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director, Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS

• 18:30-19:05 Panel Discussion (facilitated by Hideko Hadzialic, Director, UNDP Representation Office for Japan)

Volodymyr Kuzyo, Deputy Minister of Economy, Ukraine (in-person)

Andrii Dligach, Professor, Kyiv School of Economics (online)

Gennadiy Chyzhykov, President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine (in-person)

Tetsuo Shibata, Deputy Director General, JETRO Warsaw (in-person)

Yoshihiko Okabe, President, Japanese Association of Ukrainian Studies. (in-person)

• 19:05-19:25 Open Discussion with audience
• 19:25 Wrap-up/Closing Remarks by Hideko Hadzialic, Director, UNDP Representation Office for Japan
• Networking (after the event)