Irina Paliashvili, Acting President of USUBC, participated on December 12 in Washington, D.C. in the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Project on Prosperity and Development’s conversation with Deputy Secretary of State Richard R. Verma.
Ambassador Verma emphasized the crucial role of private sector engagement and announced four new critical initiatives to support Ukraine’s wartime economy, recovery and reconstruction: Additional $74.7 million to support export-oriented agriculture, so Ukraine’s farmers and food processors can play a greater role in Ukraine’s economic comeback. Ambassador Verma underscored the important role of the U.S. private sector in supporting Ukraine to get quality Ukrainian produce and grains on family tables around the world, and specifically highlighted four USUBC members: ADM, Bunge, Cargill and Louis-Dreyfus. More than $223 million dollars in additional support to rebuild Ukraine’s transportation, infrastructure and logistics.$35 million contribution to the Ukraine Recovery Trust Fund to support the Ukraine Government’s own, internal Project Preparation Facility, co-developed together with the World Bank.More than $105 million in new funding to train and equip Ukrainians for tomorrow’s jobs in reconstruction and industry. The video of the event is available via this link and Ambassador Verma’s remarks are published here. USUBC thanks CSIS and Daniel F. Runde, a Senior Vice President of CSIS and Director of the Project on Prosperity and Development, for hosting this important event.