New Horizons for Ukrainian Business: “Ukraine-Spain” Investment Forum
On September 26th, an important international economic event, “Ukraine – Spain: New Horizons of Cooperation”, took place at the Glovo office in Barcelona. Ukrainian companies presented partnership opportunities to Spanish companies and showcased their projects to foreign investors. The forum was organized by the Apercon group of companies in collaboration with the Kharkiv City Council, the Kharkiv Investment Agency, and the Embassy of Ukraine in Spain.
Spain has been topping the list of partner countries for its effectiveness and promising prospects for cooperation for several years. The Embassy and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Spain, Serhiy Pogoreltsev, have been fully supporting the development of cooperation between Ukraine and Spain and assisting Ukrainians in the Kingdom of Spain. This event launched a series of projects initiated by the Apercon group of companies together with the Embassy of Ukraine in Spain and the Kharkiv City Council to support the Ukrainian economy during wartime. It became a platform for strengthening political and economic relations between the two countries. The next step for strengthening cooperation and sharing experience will be an online forum involving representatives of Ukrainian and Spanish businesses at the end of October.
“In these difficult times for Ukraine, it is crucial to ensure uninterrupted imports of raw materials for Ukrainian businesses, export opportunities for products to diversify financial risks, and ensure the sustainability of the Ukrainian economy. This is why we embraced this idea and became co-organizers of the forum, which marked the beginning of a series of major international entrepreneurial events to support the Ukrainian economy,” commented Anna Radchenko, CEO of Apercon
The event was attended by over 200 participants, including representatives of Ukrainian and Spanish trading, distribution, and investment companies, as well as representatives of Ukrainian companies from various sectors, including energy, construction, defense, and the food industry. The majority of the participants from the Ukrainian side were leading businesses in Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region, such as KHADO Technology, Kharkiv Electromechanical Plant, Saltivsky Meat Processing Plant, Kharkiv Dairy Plant TM Agromol, and others. During the three-day visit, diplomatic meetings were also arranged between the team and the Head of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, with the Head of the Barcelona City Hall, the Mayor of Girona, and other representatives of the diplomatic community. Agreements were reached on cooperation, exchange of experience, and support for Kharkiv.
A unique aspect of this forum was not only its economic significance but also its representative component. During the forum, meetings were held and memorandums of cooperation were signed with the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, the President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Josep Santacreu, the Director of the Agency for Enterprise Competitiveness (ACCIÓ) of the Government of Catalonia, Joan Romero Circuons, and the Mayor of Girona, Lluís Sala i Vilà.
“We are grateful for the cooperation and partnership with Spanish municipalities and colleagues. It is incredibly important for our city, our people, and all of Ukraine to have the support of the international community right now, to respond to the challenges of wartime and help businesses survive during the most difficult times for the country,” said Tetyana Stoliarenko, advisor to the Kharkiv City Mayor.
“We have good relations with Ukraine. Everyone knows that. And Kharkiv is its main outpost. And soon we expect Ukraine in the European Union as a full member. We work closely with the embassy and the local consulate. We are deeply concerned that Russia is destroying your city every day, and we will do everything to alleviate this burden. Right now, we are focusing on receiving and integrating refugees. Over 50,000 people from Ukraine have already received work permits. We have accepted 40 children from Kharkiv for holidays and education. And this is the least we could do. We will further strengthen economic cooperation” – imports and exports,” said the Mayor of Barcelona.
Attracting investments: The forum provided an opportunity for Ukrainian companies to present their investment projects to foreign partners and gain new opportunities to attract funding for Ukraine’s reconstruction and development.
The event demonstrated Spain’s willingness to cooperate with Ukraine, which is a valuable signal for Ukrainian businesses. Forum participants had the chance to meet Spanish investors, discuss cooperation terms, and establish new partnerships.
Acknowledgement and Appreciation
As co-organizers of the forum, we express our gratitude to our partners: Glovo, the Agency for Enterprise Competitiveness (ACCIÓ) of the Government of Catalonia, the Embassy of Ukraine in Spain and personally to Ambassador Serhiy Pogoreltsev, the Consulate General of Ukraine in Barcelona, the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Girona, the Kharkiv City Council and Mayor Ihor Terekhov, the Head of the International Investment Club Olena Suyetova, the moderator of the event – Hanna Bondarenko, and representatives of each Ukrainian and Spanish business that allocated resources and time to participate in the event.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
This forum is a significant step towards the restoration of the Ukrainian economy and its integration into the European space. We hope that the forum’s outcomes will serve as an impetus for further development of Ukrainian-Spanish relations and contribute to the growth of the Ukrainian economy
Remember that on October 25th, an online forum focusing on investment, export, and humanitarian aid will continue the series of international events from Apercon, bringing together leading Ukrainian and Spanish businesses for the purpose of building, restoring, strengthening, and sustainably developing the European economy. To participate in the forum, send an email with a registration request to [email protected].
