The Diplomat
The Ukrainian Embassy was present at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, the largest and most influential event dedicated to the development of modern urban space and innovations, which took place from 5 to 7 of this month.
At the event, Ukrainian delegations from Kyiv, Lviv, Sumy, Odessa, Poltava, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and MISTO company presented innovative projects of their cities, demonstrating the potential of Ukrainian regions and establishing contacts with the international community.
The Ukrainian ambassador, Serhii Pohoreltsev, opened the panel Joint Horizons – Partnerships for a Smart Recovery in Ukraine, and stressed “the importance of international cooperation for the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities”, the participants expressed the willingness of Spanish companies to participate actively in the process of reconstruction of Ukraine.
“The situation in Ukraine remains critical, said Serhii Pohoreltsev. Our Armed Forces continue to defend our territory with courage, but the human and material cost is high. Cities and critical infrastructure are constant targets of Russian attacks, seriously affecting civilian lives. According to the World Bank, the total cost of Ukraine’s recovery has reached $486 billion, with direct damage of almost $152 billion.”
The Ukrainian ambassador invited European and Spanish companies to join them on this path towards renewal and shared progress. “The reconstruction of our country, he noted, is not only an urgent need but also an opportunity to strengthen international cooperation and sustainable development.
Ambassador Pohoreltsev concluded his speech by stating that “for European and Spanish companies, this is a unique opportunity to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine while expanding their operations in a market with great potential for growth. European expertise and technology in areas such as renewable energy, infrastructure and construction are key to this process”.
The Ukrainian delegation expressed its gratitude to the organizers ACCIÓ, AER and all partners “for their strong support and interest in the reconstruction projects of Ukraine”.
