Ukrainian rural small businesses to build new market connections

The partnership will develop toolkits for five regions of Ukraine, designed to help businesses export their goods and services. As the war has forced many companies to relocate, the partnership will also offer displaced companies mentorship and training.

The International Trade Centre (ITC), the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office will work together through 2024, with events running from 11 July to 31 October. A closing event is set for Kyiv in October.

The goal is to reach over 400 small businesses and self-employed individuals that were forced to flee the fighting, so that they can reboot their operations.

This assistance is just one part of ITC support to Ukraine. The war has hobbled the economy, caused chronic power cuts, and damaged infrastructure. But small businesses remain the major driver of the economy and employment. ITC data estimates that exports could grow by $28 billion.

It's therefore crucially important that Ukrainian small businesses can maintain existing markets and find new ones, while adapting to the changing regulatory and procedural environment as the country begins negotiations to join the European Union.

Valeriya Ionan, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine for European Integration, emphasized the importance of this initiative.

‘Our goal is to help small and medium-sized businesses develop, grow, and enter international markets,’ she said. ‘Nearly 8,000 enterprises have changed their registration region since the onset of the full-scale war. This programme aims to provide internally displaced entrepreneurs with the knowledge and impetus to revive their businesses.’

Tanaka Kotaro, Head of the Economic Section of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine said: ‘The International Trade Centre is supporting IDPs (internally displaced persons) with numerous projects, focusing on their professional development and helping them in rebuilding disrupted income channels and developing new skills. We (Japan) also are dedicated to bolstering Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises, as they are the backbone of any democratic country’s economy, and their strength is vital to Ukraine's recovery and future prosperity.’

The trainings will be delivered with the involvement of Diia.Business, the government’s online services platform that also maintains regional offices around the country. The trainings will take place both online and offline, involving both national and international experts.

This partnership is undertaken by the ITC project Enhancing the Economic Resilience of Conflict-Affected Communities, funded by the Government of Japan.

The Japanese government, in collaboration with the ITC, is committed to supporting Ukraine in future as well.