USAID welcomes the announcement of a partnership between the Government of Ukraine and Nasdaq, a leading global technology company serving the financial system and one of the largest operators of exchanges across the United States and Europe.
Nasdaq and the Government of Ukraine are signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), under which Nasdaq will work with the Government of Ukraine to identify ways to provide technical assistance for the forthcoming International Finance Center in Ukraine. This will include advising on regulation and governance practices of public companies, promoting entrepreneurship among Ukrainians through workshops and training, and advancing capital formation for Ukrainian companies. This will include providing education about and assistance with listing on Nasdaq's U.S. and European markets.
The signing of this MOU comes as we approach the second anniversary of Russia's brutal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The United States is working to help Ukraine on its path toward self-sufficiency so that it can emerge from the conflict with a growing economy that is thoroughly integrated into Euro-Atlantic institutions. USAID assisted the Ukrainian government in matching foreign financiers with Ukrainian companies looking to attract funds. In the first three quarters of 2023, $4.1 billion in foreign direct investment entered the country, demonstrating that Ukraine is open for business and offers attractive opportunities for investment even in the current environment.
This partnership between Nasdaq and the Government of Ukraine is an example of how USAID works with the U.S. private sector to address needs in Ukraine. USAID helped connect these partners and facilitate their partnership as a way to advance capital markets development in Ukraine. We are grateful to Nasdaq for providing their technical expertise and support. USAID previously facilitated the donation of laptops and software for Ukraine's schoolchildren and teachers by HP, Inc., JP.IK, Microsoft, and Cisco; and the donation of drones from Skydio to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine to detect and document war crimes. USAID also partners with the private sector to support Ukrainian grain production and export, and thus far has mobilized over $250 million in private sector agricultural partnerships, including investments in seed production by Bayer, and in expanding grain export corridors by Kernel and Nibulon.
As Ukraine fights to defend its defense of its sovereignty, its independence, and for the principles of the UN Charter, USAID is helping catalyze private sector investment to help Ukraine build a prosperous future for all of its people.
