Sir, – As Ireland’s Consultative Forum on International Security Policy opens this week, the British government is hosting a not unrelated event, the Ukraine Recovery Conference, taking place in London from June 21st to 23rd. We’re delighted the Tánaiste is representing Ireland at our event, demonstrating your country’s unwavering commitment to a values-based and committed approach to foreign policy.
The UK has been proud to play a leading part in international military efforts to help Ukraine defend itself. The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC23) is intended to accelerate the parallel track, providing a clear demonstration of belief in Ukraine’s democratic future, supporting Ukraine’s resilience in the short term and contributing to the longer-term development that will be critical to a fair and sustainable peace.
URC23 is about Ukraine’s long-term economic future. It will focus on (i) the role and potential of the private sector; (ii) international support to enable private investment, including Ukraine’s reform programme; and (iii) supporting Ukraine to “build back better”.
The conference will deliver a business compact pledging private sector support for Ukraine’s recovery; government and international financial institution action on the country’s macroeconomic stability; development bank financing to leverage private investment; progress on war risk insurance; business partnerships, particularly in energy and tech; and the matching and crucial political commitment to reform from the government of Ukraine.
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URC23 will gather 1,000 public and private sector leaders, representing over 60 states, 22 international organisations, over 400 businesses and 130 civil society organisations. International representation rightly includes the Global South. We have deliberately invited a broader range of countries than for previous such conferences. The economic consequences of the war in Ukraine affect us all. Moreover we believe the innovative approaches to encouraging investment at URC23 support the path to be charted by French president Emmanuel Macron’s Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, which follows URC23.
No man is an island, and no country should be indifferent to the fate of another. Ukraine’s economic recovery and development is a vital shared interest to us all. Today’s Recovery Conference will, we hope, in years to come, be seen as an important moment in the international effort to help Ukraine recover, survive and thrive again as a free nation. – Yours, etc,
PAUL JOHNSTON,
British Ambassador
to Ireland,
Dublin 4.