External economical Activity

The main goal of external economical activity is to widen international connections of the city, to create attractive conditions for foreign partners’ work in Kherson, to coordinate business connections of units of external activity, following the priorities of social-economic development of Kherson, to bring positive information about economical situation, political and social conditions, investment climate in the city to the foreign partners.
The city provides the politics of widening of international relations and mechanism of attracting of foreign investments in the city economy. In 2007 21 meetings with foreign delegations were held, during which questions about creation of new enterprises in Kherson, development of house-building, education and providing of charity for city medical units and development of small business were discussed.
Direct foreign investments, which work at 102 city enterprises, encompassed at the beginning of 2008 79,0 mil. $. The foreign capital increase I 2007 encompassed in 2007 42,4 mil. $. In 2008 the volume of direct foreign investments can be expected as 84,0 mil.$ (106,3% to the last year figure), at the same time the year growth will be 5,0 mil.$.

Foreign-trade volume of goods and services of enterprises in 2007 was 378,1 mil. $, that is for 43,4 mil.$ more than last year. The foreign-trade balance is positive and encompasses 164,5 mil.$, that is for 38,8 mil.$ more than in 2006.

In 2008 foreign-trade turnover of goods and services can be expected for sum of 410,0 mil.$, that is for 31,9 mil.$ more than last year. By the pro-forma figures in 2008 the foreign-trade balance will be 190,0 mil. $, that will be more for 25,5 mil.$ than the figures in 2007.

Kherson keeps partnership relations with Moscow, Surgut, Kaliningrad (Russia), Kishineu, Tiraspol (Moldova). Also the representatives of business circles from Israel, Finland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Poland, Turkey, USA, Holland, Rumania, Georgia, UAE, Norway and Austria express an interest for collaboration with the city.

The sister-cities are: Zalaegerseg (Hungary), Zonguldak (Turkey), Kent, Tyson (USA), Shumen (Bulgaria), Sypin, Tszinan (Republic of China), Roan (France). The possibility of making of sister/partnership relations with such cities as Ploeshty (Rumania), Unterhahing (Germany), Mtscheta (Georgia), and Smolensk (Russia) is under consideration. Close relations with the city of Kent are held by the Kherson design lyceum, whose students participate each year in the competition of young painters of sister-cities of Kent.

For many years Kherson has been an active member of International Black Sea Club, which was founded in 1992 with the goal for strengthening and developing of collaboration among cities of the Black Sea countries. Among 24 cities of different world countries (that’s Bulgaria, Greece, Rumania, Turkey, Russia, Italy, Georgia and Moldova) Ukraine is represented only by 9 cities, among which Kherson takes an important place. IBSC – a non-governmental public organization, which has an observer status in the organization of lack Sea Economical Cooperation, and a consultant status in the Economic and Social Council of UNO. This high status is given to only those organizations, which have gained the international recognition. The initiative position of Vladimir Saldo about the participation in activities of IBSC was marked by the fact that it was Kherson city mayor who was elected as Club financial controller.

The city is a member of Association of Ukrainian cities (AUC), and International assembly of capitals and large cities, where 55 cities of 9 countries of Commonwealth of Independent States are represented.