The First Vice President of the Mayors’ Club, Oleksandr Mazurchak, took part in a panel discussion at the international forum titled:”Cooperation Between Government and Business as the Foundation for Sustainable Economic Development of the Region”

The International Forum titled “Cooperation Between Government and Business as the Foundation for Sustainable Economic Development of the Region”, organized by the Zakarpattia Regional State Administration and UNDP Ukraine, was held on November 30, 2023. The event aimed to create a dialogue platform between authorities and businesses in the region, focusing on investment attraction, industrial park development, export potential growth, and the promotion of craft production. It served as a space for active discussion on recovery and post-war development opportunities for Ukraine.

The main takeaway of the forum was the shared understanding that effective cooperation between business and local authorities is more crucial than ever, as it directly affects the quality of life today and is a key factor for post-war recovery.

The First Vice President of the Mayors’ Club, Oleksandr Mazurchak, participated in the panel discussion “Investment Attractiveness of Ukraine and Zakarpattia“. He presented the current efforts of the Mayors’ Club in the area of investment attraction, highlighting the Economic Alliances of Communities as an effective tool for creating a realistic and productive development vision for entire subregions through specific investment-attractive projects.

Among other notable participants were Andrii Haidutskyi, Chairman of the Board of the legal and recruiting company Persona Pastman; Yaroslav Zhalilo, Deputy Director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies of Ukraine; Vasyl Ivanchо, Deputy Head of Zakarpattia Regional State Administration; Orest Hryniv, Deputy Director of the Department and Head of the Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Investment Policy Division of the Lviv Regional Military Administration; Oleksandr Solontai, Head of the NGO Agency for Recovery and Development, Senior Advisor to CLIR, SURGe Project; Esma Umerova and Katya Putrashyk. The event also brought together participants from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and various Ukrainian regions — Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Rivne, and Zakarpattia. Discussions covered topics such as Ukraine’s and Zakarpattia’s investment appeal, regional export development opportunities, international experience in investment attraction, and the challenges and potential of local crafts and small-scale manufacturing.

Panelists emphasized the importance of creating and developing industrial parks, state incentives and support, and the adoption of appropriate legislation — all seen as vital factors that boost business activity and enhance the economic potential of both Zakarpattia and Ukraine. It was also noted that securing Ukraine’s labor force is a top priority for recovery, and that over the next four years, a joint plan for Ukraine’s reconstruction and development must be prepared.

Special thanks to Anna Tsymbolynets, Director of the Regional Development Agency of Zakarpattia Oblast, for the invitation and excellent panel moderation!