The Ukrainian government delegation in Saudi Arabia is conducting preparatory work for President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the country, particularly in the economic sector. Large-scale projects in the field of public-private partnerships and "attractive privatization opportunities worth half a billion dollars" have already been presented, reported First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko.
"We began the working visit of the Ukrainian government delegation to Saudi Arabia with a meeting with nearly a hundred local entrepreneurs (...) We presented projects in energy, agriculture, and infrastructure. Additionally, we showcased large-scale projects in public-private partnerships and attractive privatization opportunities with a total investment volume of half a billion dollars," she wrote on her Facebook page on Sunday.
According to her, "dozens of meetings" will be held in the coming days to prepare for President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Saudi Arabia. In particular, important economic agreements with countries in the region are being prepared for signing.
She noted that "dozens of meetings" will take place in the upcoming days to facilitate President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Saudi Arabia. Specifically, significant economic agreements with regional countries are in the works.
Svyrydenko highlighted that Saudi Arabia is currently actively supporting Ukraine. They have directed $500 million towards the restoration of Ukraine. "Right now, the call is to invest in Ukraine without waiting for the war to end, and we can illustrate this with very concrete businesses from Saudi Arabia. For example, FAS Energy, which has invested in renewable energy in Ukraine. Or SALIC, which became a co-owner of one of the largest Ukrainian agribusiness holdings - MHP, by acquiring 12.6% of the company's shares last September. I am endlessly grateful to all those companies that demonstrate leadership and show that investing in Ukraine is both possible and necessary right now," Svyrydenko emphasized.
"I am convinced that we have prospects for even more active investment attraction from Middle Eastern countries. Today, we saw significant interest primarily in infrastructure projects, energy, and proposals in the field of innovation and agribusiness, especially in fertilizer production, where Saudi Arabia has expertise," the Deputy Prime Minister added.
According to her data, exports to Saudi Arabia increased from $291 million in 2023 to $368 million in 2024. "And we expect growth this year as well. We have not yet reached pre-war levels, but I hope we can achieve this, and such business forums will contribute to that," she stressed.