The UNDP project "Strengthening member business associations of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Ukraine" was created in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and with the support of Switzerland. This Project aims to accelerate the development of the MSME sector by strengthening the potential of member business associations (BOs).

During nine training modules, participants received knowledge and practical skills to develop their business associations' organizational, managerial, and financial capacity. And the program was completed through the business game "Protection of the BO strategy," which helped the participants to gain experience in collegial work.

Andre Huber, director of the cooperation program of the Swiss Embassy in Ukraine, Christophoros Politis, deputy permanent representative of UNDP in Ukraine, and dean of kmbs Oleksandr Savruk, congratulated the participants at the diploma awarding ceremony.

"This course was developed before the start of the war, and it - thanks to everyone involved — became another proof of the resilience and adaptability of Ukraine: its private sector, society, and state institutions," said Christophoros Politis.

The distinguished guests expressed their gratitude to all parties of the Project for their partnership. They emphasized that the development of member business associations also significantly contributes to developing the country's sustainability. "Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are the lifeblood of communities," Mr. Politis aptly observed.

And Oleksandr Savruk, in his address to the participants, added: "It is very much in the spirit of kmbs to work with infrastructural elements, which are business associations because these are sometimes invisible bases for many market players. And they should be more tangible and important because this is a transition to open systems, ecosystems, and clusters. Such a transition requires changing our mental attitudes, beliefs, and understanding how to work with it."

Another symbolic but meaningful action ended the graduation ceremony. The participants signed the Standard of the member BO, which was developed throughout the training. This framework document fixes the principles of business associations that will represent micro, small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine.

We congratulate the program graduates and wish them to implement the acquired knowledge for the country's benefit successfully!