To get to know a number of companies and structures in the textile sector and agricultural organisations linked to wine production in the municipality of Famalicão, with a view to building the capacity of Ukrainian SMEs for the post-war period, is the purpose of the Business Mission that is bringing a delegation from the Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr to Famalicão, including the Deputy Mayor, Svitlana Olshanska, the Director of Economic Development, Viktoriia Sychova, officials from the Association of Ukrainian Municipalities and entrepreneurs from the textile and wine production sectors.
Since 2022, Zhytromyr and Vila Nova de Famalicão have established a cooperation protocol as part of the Municipality's Urban Diplomacy Strategy, which arose in the wake of the war in the territory and very much focused on humanitarian cooperation, but which has now been extended with this business mission that seeks to learn more about the economic activities of textiles and winemaking, and in the case of textiles, namely the green economy, digitalisation, and international certification standards.
Mayor Mário Passos received the delegation at the Town Hall, led by Ukrainian ambassador to Portugal Maryna Mykhailenko. The mayor emphasised his willingness to further strengthen ties with the Ukrainian city. ‘We are pleased to realise that Ukraine is not only seeking peace, but is already working to prepare for the country's reconstruction. We are willing to share our knowledge and the capacity that we have in Famalicão and help with the challenges that the Ukrainian people will face in the future,’ showing Famalicão's willingness to work more closely with Zhytromyr and to consider twinning with the Ukrainian city.
On the occasion, the Ukrainian ambassador to Portugal said that ‘it's very important to plan for the future and that's what we're focussing on’. Maryna Mykhailenko emphasised ‘the great economic potential of her country, which the climate of war has not yet managed to express’, certain that once the path to peace in the territory has been reached, missions like this ‘will be a lever for the recovery that Ukraine will need’.
This business mission will take place until Friday with visits to different companies including TMG, Riopele, AAC Textiles, Casal de Ventozela, Citeve, Centi and ATP, as well as the promotion of bilateral meetings between a wide range of companies from Famalicão and Zhytomyr, with the aim of supporting the strengthening of partnerships with a focus on economic cooperation and the exploitation of business opportunities.