Dialogue on reconstruction: Key role of business at the Side Event in Warsaw

The Business & Rebuild Executive Talks side event, held in Warsaw on November 12, 2024, on the eve of the Rebuild Ukraine conference, became a powerful platform for discussing Ukraine’s economic integration and recovery. The event brought together Ukrainian and Polish leaders, focusing on the strategic role of the private sector.

Initiators and Mission

The organization of this dynamic event was initiated and conducted by Nazarii Volianskyi, Development Manager of the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association (UNLA) and the Association’s representative in Poland. The co-organizers were the partners UNIMOT S.A. and Diia.City Union.

Main objective: To bring together Ukrainian and Polish tech companies, government representatives, and international institutions to discuss practical ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and attract investment.

The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association (UNLA) actively promotes effective interaction between business, government and civil society. The Business & Rebuild Executive Talks are a direct reflection of the UNLA’s mission to:

• Promoting the interests of Ukrainian business in the international arena.
• Ensuring harmonization of Ukrainian regulatory processes with European standards.

Nazarii Volianskyi’s role was crucial in bringing key representatives to the table to jointly develop a strategic action plan.

High level of representation

The event brought together the elite of Ukrainian and Polish politics and expertise, which emphasizes its strategic importance:

• Vasyl Bodnar – Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland.
• Daria Marchak is Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.
• Andrzej Dyha – Chairman of the Board of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH).
• Mark Wager is an expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, DC.

Key Areas of Economic Breakthrough

The discussion focused on the specific instruments needed for economic growth and integration:

Bilateral Investment Opportunities:

• We considered opportunities for Ukrainian business (especially technology) in the Polish market.
• They discussed mechanisms for attracting Polish investment in the priority sectors of Ukraine’s recovery.

Harmonization of legislation:

• The participants emphasized the urgent need to harmonize Ukrainian legislation with EU legislation.
• This step is vital for increasing the competitiveness of Ukrainian companies.

Financing tools:

• The discussion of investment attraction tools, including the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in recovery, was central to the agenda.

Networking and Shared Vision

The event was supported by key organizations: Polish-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce, Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association, and UA HUB.

The evening ended on an inspirational note with a performance by the Cultural Forces, followed by a warm informal networking session. This part of the event cemented the agreements reached, uniting Ukrainian and Polish leaders around a common ambitious goal: building a strong, innovative and sustainable Ukraine, a reliable economic partner for the whole of Europe.