KYIV, Dec 11 – Ukraine will tap on its massive diaspora across the world for help in bringing in foreign investments and promoting trade to expand the country’s exports, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Friday.

Shmyhal and Paul Grod, the president of the Ukrainian World Congress, the biggest organization uniting ethnic Ukrainians living overseas, signed a memorandum to accelerate cooperation.

"The concerted effort and coordinated work of Ukrainian communities abroad are of paramount importance,” Shmyhal said following an online meeting with Grod.

"The memorandum will facilitate strengthening the interaction of the Ukrainian state with Ukrainians living abroad, protect the rights and interests of Ukrainians abroad, promote Ukraine in the world," Shmyhal said.

About 2 million of ethnic Ukrainians are estimated to be living in Poland, 1.36 million in Canada, 1.02 million in the U.S., 600,000 in Brazil, 305,000 in Argentina, 262,000 in Germany, 235,000 in Italy, 112,000 in Spain, 90,000 in Israel and 38,000 in Australia.

In the former Soviet Union, the largest number of Ukrainians are estimated to be living in Russia (3.2 million), Kazakhstan (338,000), Moldova (325,000), Belarus (225,000) and Uzbekistan (125,000).

In addition to promoting investments and trade, the vast network of Ukrainians will also work for restoring territorial integrity after Russia’s occupation and annexation of Crimea, Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula, in March 2014, and well as supporting Ukraine’s civic society.

Shmyhal told Grod that the government has been particularly interested in promoting economic relations and investments, trade opportunities around the world, as well as getting hep in fighting COVID-19 pandemic, support Ukrainian-language schools overseas and popularizing the Ukrainian culture, art and language around the globe.

"The support provided by the Ukrainian World Congress is a solid foundation for the development of a democratic society and allows countries to strengthen political and economic ties," Shmyhal said. (nr/ez)