Credit: MAEE

On Wednesday 21 June 2023, Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, took part in the first day of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023 (URC23) in London.

The two-day RCU23, co-hosted by the UK and Ukraine, aims to mobilise international support for Ukraine's reconstruction and economic recovery. The conference brings together more than 1,000 leaders from the public and private sectors, including representatives of 61 countries, as well as representatives of various international organisations and several hundred companies and civil society organisations.

On this occasion, the Luxembourg delegation was accompanied by the Honorary Consul of Luxembourg in Ukraine, Nikolay Novikov, who is an interlocutor for Luxembourg companies wishing to join the reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.

During the high-level session on Wednesday, Minister Asselborn attended the opening session initiated by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, during which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking via videoconference, highlighted the role and potential of the private sector in Ukraine's recovery.

This was followed by speeches by politicians, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and several foreign ministers from Ukraine's partner countries.

During the conference, Minister Asselborn made a statement in which he argued that humanitarian aid remains an essential pillar of support from Luxembourg, which has provided more than €17.5 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine through UN agencies, NGOs and the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, as well as in-kind contributions. He mentioned Luxembourg's active commitment to demining efforts through the humanitarian NGO HALO Trust and its intention to make an additional contribution this year, in order to demine agricultural areas which are deemed essential for Ukraine and for global food security.

Moreover, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister called for the unity of all donors from the international community, the private sector and civil society to help rebuild Ukraine. He said: "We cannot wait until the end of the war to start the process of recovery. Through recovery and reconstruction, we are helping to strengthen Ukraine's economic stability and resilience on the path to European and Euro-Atlantic integration."

Minister Asselborn welcomed the launch of the "Ukraine Business Compact" through which companies can pledge to support Ukraine's recovery in a sustainable and responsible manner. He also highlighted the active role played in Ukraine by Luxembourg-based companies such as ArcelorMittal, which employs 26,000 people in Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine, and Clearstream.

Luxembourg's Foreign Minister concluded his speech by indicating that the reconstruction does not only imply the rehabilitation of infrastructures, but also the transformation of institutions to consolidate democratic governance and strengthen the confidence of international investors.

On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Asselborn had a bilateral meeting with his Nicu Popescu, Moldova's Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. The former first congratulated his counterpart on Moldova hosting the second European Political Community Summit in Chișinău on 1 June 2023. The two ministers also discussed recent political and security developments in Moldova, as well as the latter's journey as a candidate country for membership of the European Union. Minister Asselborn recalled Luxembourg's full support for Moldova on its European path.