Northwest Luhansk Sub-region Launches Investment Branding Process

March 31, 2011 — In Severodonetsk, Luhansk oblast, USAID LINC facilitated the introductory meeting of a task force for developing an investment brand of the Northwest Luhansk Sub-region, which also comprises the cities of Lysychansk and Rubizhne and the Kreminna Raion.

The meeting focused on discussion of sub-region’s social, cultural and economic assets. The participants also briefly characterized the sub-region and agreed on tasks they have to fulfill before next meeting, scheduled for April 7, 2011.

The task force includes three representatives from each of the member communities – members and officers of the local governments, and representatives from businesses and NGOs – plus two USAID LINC experts, totaling 14 persons.

The investment brand development is part of implementation of the Competitiveness Strategic Plan of the sub-region, also called “Innovative Donbas,” which provides for active investment attraction as its first critical issue.

In December 2009, Lysychansk, Rubizhne, Severodonetsk and the Kreminna Raion united into the Northwest Luhansk Sub-region by signing a Protocol of Intentions with USAID LINC to develop and implement the strategy.

The strategy was drafted in September 2010 by a local Expert Committee, which had worked on it with assistance from USAID LINC since January. The document includes six Action Plans for three critical issues and three main economic sectors, namely Active Investment Attraction, Business Development, Communal Infrastructure Development, Chemicals, IT, Science and Education, and Agriculture and Produce Processing.