Tentative Agenda (as of June 10, 2016)
Ukrainian - American Agrarian Congress
IFC Auditorium (F Building), 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington D.C. 20433, USA
The key purpose of the conference is to discuss next steps in agriculture sector development in Ukraine based on last year’s US-Ukraine Agrarian Congress outputs that have materialized into the Ukraine’s Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy 2020, SPS Strategy, both reflecting the commitments taken by Ukraine within the Association Agreement with the EU.
The discussion this year will focus on the most pressing issues pertaining to the competitiveness of Ukrainian agribusinesses, key bottlenecks identified in the port and river logistics and latest developments in the agriculture land market and irrigation spheres.
Day 1
Monday, June 20, 2016
16:00-18:00 Participants Registration, Networking, Coffee & Snacks
18:00-20:00 Pre-Conference Networking, Welcoming & Reception
Nadiia KAZNACHEIEVA, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine
Valeriy CHALY, Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA (TBC)
Heinz STRUBENHOFF, Agribusiness Program Manager, Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice,
World Bank Group
Volodymyr KLYMENKO, President of the Ukrainian Grain Association
Day 2
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
08:30-09:00 Registration, Coffee and Snacks
09:00-09:30 Opening Session
Chair: Eugen OSMOCHESCU, Operations Officer, World Bank Group
Key-note speakers:
Rufat ALIMARDANOV, Country Manager for Ukraine and Belarus, IFC
Nadiia KAZNACHEIEVA, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine
09:30-11:15 Plenary Session 1. Global Agricultural Trade – Where Does Ukraine Fit?
The purpose of this session is to set the context for the discussions. The session will start from
looking at strategic issues pertaining to global agricultural trade, latest trends, challenges of global
agriculture trade and how they apply to developing countries. Then the discussion will gradually move
to Ukraine, its current status and place in global agriculture trade, any significant achievements of
Ukraine as an agriculture trader, potential versus reality, opportunity versus threats.
Chair: Morgan WILLIAMS, President, Ukraine-US Business Council
Panel discussants:
Volodymyr KLYMENKO, President, Ukrainian Grain Association
Cary B. SIFFERATH, Senior Director of Global Programs, US Grain Council
Teresa McKEIVIER, Analyst, FAS USDA
Oleg NIVYEVSKIY, Agriculture Economist, World Bank Group
Iryna OZIP, Head, Information Service APK-Inform
11:15-11:30 Coffee break
11:30-13:00 Plenary Session 2. Investing in Ukrainian Agribusiness, Development of Agricultural
Land Market and Irrigation - Where are We Now?
The purpose of this session is to have international investors andleading agribusinesses from Ukraine
at the table discussing and debating on how to support increased investment in the country’s
agriculture, a strategic sector for Ukraine’s economy. The session will hear the views and perspectives
of both sides about the sector’s potential, challenges and needs as well as proposals for decisive steps
that would spur the competitiveness of Ukrainian agribusinesses and make them more attractive to
investors.
Chair: Eugen OSMOCHESCU, Operations Officer, World Bank Group
Panel discussants:
Elena VOLOSHINA, Head of Operations, IFC Ukraine
Winston YU, Senior Water Resources Specialist, WBG
Jason GHEISSARI, President, Structured Trade Finance Corporation
Klaus DEININGER, Lead Economist, WBG
Van Yeutter, Vice President, Cargill
Philip de Leon, Director, Public Affairs & International Business Development, AGCO Corporation
13:00-14:00 Lunch
14:00-15:30 Plenary Session 3. Competitiveness of Ukrainian Agriculture Sector – Determinants
of Success and Hindrances
The purpose of the session is to discuss competitiveness of Ukrainian agriculture sector by looking
at key factors of competitiveness, such as macroeconomic environment, trade and agriculture policy,
investment policy and regulatory environment. The discussants will explore key success factors and
key barriers of competitiveness of Ukrainian agriculture sector. The session will also look at Ukraine’s
place in global value chains and way to improve Ukraine’s participation in them.
Chair: Victoria TETYORA, Associate Operations Officer, Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice,
Europe and Central Asia, WBG
Panel discussants:
Boris SOROCHINSKIY, Head, AgBiotech Committee, Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business
Heinz STRUBENHOFF, Agribusiness Program Manager, Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice,
World bank Group
Lorraine Riffle Hawley, Director, International Government Relations, ADM
Kateryna ONUL, Associate Operations Officer, Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice,
Europe and Central Asia, WBG
15:30-15:45 Coffee Break
15:30-17:15 Plenary Session 4. Improving the Regulatory Environment: SPS, River and Port Logistics
The purpose of the session is to discuss the current status of reforms in the SPS area in Ukraine,
challenges and opportunities; establishment of the new SPS agency; Outsiders’ view or US perspective
on the SPS control. Discussions will focus also on challenges that Ukraine faces in Port and River
Sectors, e.g. high port charges and underdeveloped waterway infrastructure. US Experience in
developing these Sectors
Chair: Morgan WILLIAMS, President, Ukraine-US Business Council
Panel discussants:
Periklis SARAGIOTIS, Senior Private Sector Development Specialist,
Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice, WBG
Jim COWAN, Senior Executive, Greenbrier
Eric LUHMANN, Director, Market Development for CIS and Europe & Head
of Representation Office of Transolutions CIS LLC, Amsted Rail
Nadiia KAZNACHEIEVA, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine
Dmytro ZHMINIKO, CEO, Group of Companies “U-PORT”
Yuriy SIDORENKO, Senior Project Manager, Group of Companies “U-PORT”
17:15-18:00 Concluding Remarks and Closure
