EBRD Launches Initiative to Support Economic Integration of Ukrainian Refugees in Croatia

EBRD Launches Initiative to Support Economic Integration of Ukrainian Refugees in Croatia

(IN BRIEF) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched a technical cooperation project in Croatia with the aim of supporting the economic integration of Ukrainian refugees, particularly women, in the country. The initiative, in partnership with the SVOJA Association and the Solidarna Foundation, seeks to increase Ukrainians’ participation in the labour market, especially in the private sector, and provide them with skills training and assistance in finding work. The project is part of the EBRD’s Civil Society Capacity Enhancement Framework and is supported by the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund. It is expected to fill vacancies in sectors such as retail, hospitality, and IT and will help benefit the Croatian economy. SVOJA has already built a network of more than 1,200 Ukrainian refugees in Croatia, offering employment advice, CV preparation assistance, and Croatian language courses.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 20-Apr-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a multilateral developmental investment bank, has announced the launch of a new technical cooperation project in partnership with Croatian civil society organisations (CSOs), the SVOJA Association and the Solidarna Foundation. The project aims to support the economic integration of Ukrainian refugees in Croatia, with a focus on increasing their participation in the private sector.

The project, called the “Private Sector for Ukrainian Refugee Integration Initiative”, builds on previous initiatives by EBRD retail and food-industry clients in Croatia to offer jobs to Ukrainian refugees, particularly women, who began arriving in the country a year ago following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The initiative is part of the EBRD’s Civil Society Capacity Enhancement Framework, an innovative grant-based programme to establish partnerships and provide support to a wide range of civil society stakeholders in the Bank’s countries of operations.

The project will be supported by the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund. At the launch event in Zagreb, the chief of mission of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Katherine Chang, announced the fund’s backing for the project. The fund already provides donor support to the EBRD’s flagship Women in Business programme in Croatia, while in Ukraine, Taiwanese donor funds have supported cross-border mail and parcel delivery.

Under the project, the Solidarna Foundation, an established Croatian non-governmental organisation, will work with SVOJA, formed by displaced Ukrainian women last year, to increase the provision of skills training and assistance to Ukrainian refugees seeking employment. The project will benefit the Croatian economy by filling vacancies in sectors such as retail, hospitality, and IT.

SVOJA has already built a network of more than 1,200 Ukrainian refugees in Croatia, providing employment advice, assistance with CV preparation, and free Croatian language courses. It has held numerous events across Croatia, as well as online webinars and other activities, to support the economic empowerment of Ukrainian women and their families affected by the war.

The project was announced at an event in Croatia, opened by EBRD Director for Central Europe Victoria Zinchuk and included a presentation by Illia Borovynskyi from the EBRD Civil Society Engagement Team. Top managers from two private-sector employers and existing EBRD clients, the Studenac retail chain and the Mlinar bakery, also shared their experience of employing Ukrainian refugees and helping them improve their language and other skills.

“The EBRD is committed to promoting equal access to opportunities, with a special focus on boosting private-sector competitiveness,” said Victoria Zinchuk. “This initiative will not only help Ukrainian refugees to integrate more successfully in Croatia, but will also broaden the opportunities for Croatia’s private sector and the labour market.”

To date, the EBRD has invested over €4.4 billion in Croatia, with €300 million invested in the country last year. 72% of the cumulative investment was extended to the private sector.

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Email: press@ebrd.com

SOURCE: EBRD