Kiev, 16 May. In course of a round-table debate organized by the Foundation for Effective Governance to discuss Ukraine Economic Development Agenda, the leading experts have determined priority areas for reforms in Ukraine. They cover tax and administrative reform as well as privatization, energy saving and supply, agriculture and land reform, economic laws, and local government reform. The priorities were selected against such criteria as impact on the overall economic growth of the country; problems in the area requiring urgent solutions; time needed to achieve noticeable improvement; political resistance degree; required resources, etc.

“This round-table is very much important for us since selection of the priorities will help focus the efforts on a certain number of top priority goals”, says Nataliya Izosimova, Managing Director Foundation for Effective Governance.

 

The round-table organized by the Foundation for Effective Governance was the first stage of discussion of Ukraine’s Economic Development Agenda presented on 9 April, 2008. The round-table was attended, in particular, by Valeriy Geyets, Director of Institute of Economy and Projections of Ukrainian Academy of Sciences; Vladimir Gorbulin, Director of Institutes of National Security, Vera Nanivska, President of the National Academy of Public Administration, Office of the President of Ukraine; Valeriy Litvitskiy, Head of Advisors Group, the National Bank of Ukraine; members of parliament Inna Bogoslovska and Irina Akimova;  Aleksandra Kuzhel, President of Akademiya Analytical Center; Martin Raiser, Economic Advisor and group coordinator for economy management and poverty reduction in the World Bank's Regional Office for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, and many others.

The Foundation expects the wide and open discussion will result in an agreement over Ukraine’s economic development agenda. Its implementation will help achieve the major goal – to improve noticeably the quality of living of all Ukrainians. Proceeding from the top priorities of economic development, the Foundation for Effective Governance will determine the economy sectors by the end of May and suggest projects on their development.

The Foundation for Effective Governance (www.feg.org.ua) was established in 2007 following the initiative of the Ukrainian businessman, Rinat Akhmetov, to draw up and realize projects and programs for long-term economic development of Ukraine’s economy. The organization targets to facilitate social and political consensus in key areas of implementation of economic reform programmes.

To achieve these goals, the Foundation attracts the leading Ukrainian and international experts with excellent reputations and expertise. The Board of Trustees ensures the Foundation’s independence. Among its members are former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell, former U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee, former President of the National Bank of Hungary György Surányi, and Director General of Financial Policy Institute Ihor Mitiukov. The Board of Trustees is involved in developing the strategy of the Foundation, helps choose priority projects, and represents the Foundation in Ukraine and internationally.