Kyiv, November 8, 2019 – The UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme on 8 November launched East Expo 2019 – a major, two-day-long exhibition that brought entrepreneurs from Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhya oblasts (Azov Sea coastal region) to Ukrainian House in the heart of Kyiv to showcase their businesses.

The event was organized with financial support from the EU and the governments of Poland and Japan, and in partnership with Dontesk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhya oblasts administrations, along with the Donetsk Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce of Ukraine.

More than 100 representatives of micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses from the east are showing off their products to Kyiv locals and visitors to the capital, while seeking to develop their businesses and build new partnerships. A huge variety of products is being presented at the exhibition, including food, fabric, salt-based products, ceramics, IT and even 3D-printers.  All products can be found in an online catalogue here. 

“East Expo 2019 is another reminder that the East of Ukraine is more than just a conflict-affected zone, it is a region showing outstanding resilience through rapid pace of economic recovery and innovative businesses; and this deserves our respect,” UNDP Deputy Resident Representative to Ukraine Manal Fouani said at the opening of the exhibition.

“Bringing the East Expo to the heart of Kyiv this year is an opportunity to connect partners and small enterprises with a wider business network, both locally and internationally. We are hoping for very positive results from this year's event,” Fouani said. “Next, we should all visit the East and witness the success of the recovery and peace building work achieved there.”

Over the exhibition’s two days, entrepreneurs and visitors will be able to take part in panel discussions, presentations and workshops on the economic and investment potentials of Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhya oblasts, as well as learn about government decentralization reform in Ukraine, and how it affects the development of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.

About East Expo:

Previous East Expo exhibitions were held in 2017-2018 in Kramatorsk, Severodonetsk, Kyiv and Lviv. The exhibitions were attended by more than 6,500 people, with 225 local manufacturers companies presenting their products. Seventy percent of the participants established new business contacts with partners through the event. More information on East Expo can be found on the event’s web-site:  http://east-expo.com.ua/en/

Media inquiries:

Maksym Kytsiuk, Communication Specialist, maksym.kytsiuk@undp.org, +380 63 576 1839

Background:

The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP) is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The programme is supported by eleven international partners: the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the governments of the UK, Denmark, Canada, Netherlands, the Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Japan.