Oslo – The Norwegian Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce (NUCC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in cooperation with the Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine, have joined forces to support Ukrainian micro and small businesses find new market opportunities. From 28 August to 02 September, NUCC is hosting six Ukrainian businesses engaged in the interior design and home furnishings sector. They will attend the Oslo Design Fair, learn about the Norwegian market and connect with potential retail buyers and partners.  

"With economic activity having declined significantly since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, many micro and small businesses must start to look abroad for new markets in order to remain profitable and maintain jobs in their communities,” said Fumiko Nagano, IOM Chief of Mission in Norway.  

The economic impacts of the war have devastated many small businesses across Ukraine. Through its grants programme for small and micro businesses, IOM has provided Ukrainian businesses with financial and technical support to re-establish themselves and adapt to the changed business landscape, including by expanding their sales base internationally.

“We’re very excited to provide this opportunity for small Ukrainian producers to hopefully tap into the Norwegian market,” said Anastasiia Antonyk of NUCC. 

“And at the same time, we can show Norway another side of Ukraine; it is full of creative designers producing high-quality and innovative products, but this can often get forgotten when all the news coming out of the country is about war and despair.” 

“Diaspora groups and chambers of commerce can play a critical role in helping smaller scale Ukrainian businesses expand into new markets. Their intimate knowledge of both worlds – that of Ukraine and that of Norway – allows them to play a connecting role, breaking down language, cultural, and technical barriers to trade and cooperation,” added IOM’s Nagano. 

IOM’s Mission in Ukraine is already connecting with partners in the country and with Ukrainian diaspora around the world – including in Canada, Italy, and Germany – to see how this initiative can be expanded to build market opportunities elsewhere and, in doing so, supporting war-affected communities and fostering economic resilience across Ukraine. 

IOM’s grant programme is made possible through support from the German Development Bank, KFW. Since 2022, it has partnered with over 500 small and micro enterprises affected by the war and helped them retain more than 4,000 employees and create 1,700 new jobs.

For more information, please contact Varvara Zhluktenko, Tel: +38 050 962 57 07, Email: vzhluktenko@iom.int.