DMYTRO SHUVAL: E-GOVERNMENT WILL MINIMIZE CORRUPTION

In March this year the electronic document management system was put into operation in the Kharkiv Region of Ukraine. It was presented for free to the Kharkiv Region officials by the International Agency for Regional Development GloBee. We have interviewed its founder Dmytro Shuval, who explained how you can help your “little motherland” without either donor funds or grants.
- Dmytro, in general terms, how GloBee came to life?
- Prior to the events on the Maidan I was pretty distant from public life in Ukraine. When the revolution began based of patriotic feelings, I decided to help my country.
The first impulse was to go to the frontline. But I have three children, so I wasn’t accepted to the army. So I decided to do what I can do well - to promote the interests of the country at the international markets.
For this purpose I created the public organization "International Agency for Regional Development GloBee». The original aim was to help Ukrainian companies to obtain grants, attract investments, bring them to foreign markets. In addition we have sought to attract foreign companies to Ukraine.
- And what did you do before you started social activities?
- I continue doing those things. I invest into manufacturing, as well as into companies engaged with smart technologies, co-own several companies.
I am from Kharkiv, have lived in Kharkiv, graduated from the Medical Institute with honors, but never worked as a doctor, because doing business while still at the 5th course of the institute. Was engaged in social activities, but has been mainly focused on the business since 2010. I have lived in many countries around the world - in America, in England – I also have western education.
- What are the areas of activities of your organization?
- One of the directions is E-Government - the system of automation of processes. Now we are implementing and donating to the Kharkiv Region State Administration, and at a later stage to the regional council, the system of electronic document flow. All this is funded by private donors. Our agency has never worked with government money or grants, we use only private funds.
- At what stage is the project now?
- At the final one. The test version has now been installed at almost all departments, training of the employees of the KRSA has started, the employees give their advices, fill out questionnaires etc. The system will then be free transferred to the balance of the regional administration.
All this will help to minimize corruption. Plus we will forget about the situation, when it takes a piece of paper three days to reach the office next door. Everything will be done quickly and transparently. Of course, mid-level officials will lose their leverage, many do not like that. Everything will be clear to see: with whom the document is for consideration, who does what. There won’t be anything to wipe out or edit.
In addition, we have negotiated a deal with Konica Minolta, which will present to us as we pass on to the officials expensive office equipment, for example - powerful scanners that cost thousands of dollars. Also hundreds of IT jobs have been created, the officials will have their own digitalized assistance, so we almost completely get away from paperwork.
- Are foreign partners willing to help?
- Very much so. GloBee has recently opened the representative office of the Kharkiv region in the United States. We have set up an office there. And by this word I do not mean just space, but a variety of local companies, lobbyists, whom we pay, and who do help us advance in the United States and the US market.
We have already achieved some concrete results. The first truck load with humanitarian aid for hospitals of Kharkiv worth some 300 thousand dollars has already arrived in the country, the second one is coming soon. Recently the US Deputy Trade Minister visited Kharkiv, who discussed with the Deputy Governor Juliya Svetlichna perspectives for cooperation between the two countries.
In addition, we have attracted to the Ukrainian market a lot of companies and also opened the US market for our producers. We created the affiliate worldwide network to facilitate access of the Ukrainian businesses to Western markets. We are also going to open an office in China, which will help to connect local entrepreneurs with their Kharkiv counterparts, provide organizational support, assist with the tests of the ordered goods. The next country for us is the United Kingdom. All this is being done on the basis of the memorandum, which was signed between GloBee and the Kharkiv Region, giving us the right to represent interests of the region abroad.
As a part of this cooperation we have organized a big-scale tour of the Kharkiv region delegation, led by the Governor, to the United States, where meetings with leading politicians, public figures and businessmen of America were held.
In addition we have attracted the largest British company of its kind Adam Smith International to take part in the reform of the Ukrainian customs. And now the company is one of the candidates to carry out these works.
- What is your personal interest in all this stuff?
- As of the moment GloBee earns nothing. In the future, I do not rule out that some private companies with a help from us will get some interesting orders or contracts and will be able to make some contributions to our organization. But we are not thinking about this today. Currently we only use private money - my money and the money of the partners. We do not have any donors, just survive on our own resources. Plus there are some things that we receive as aid for free.
- How much approximately has GloBee invested in the Kharkiv region?
- The total amount that was spent by us or our partners is about $ 1 million. This figure includes for example, development of the software, maintenance costs for the US office and other items. Our team includes not only Ukrainians, there are also British people involved. Some help with patronage, other - with human resources, which is also very valuable.

Non-government Public Organization

40 Lenin Avenue
Kharkiv 61166
Ukraine

info@globee.international
http://globee.international/en/

This release was published on openPR.