We invite you to read the twelfth Ukraine Rebuilding Digest with an overview of the recovery news from the Ukraine Rebuilding Alliance for 3—9 June.
Ukraine will receive €300 million from the EBRD to support the energy sector, – Shmyhal
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will provide Ukraine with €300 million to support the energy sector affected by Russian attacks. This was announced by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal on his Telegram channel. A memorandum of understanding was signed with the bank’s president, Audile Renaud-Basso.
The funds will be used to restore the generation capacity and infrastructure of state-owned energy companies, as well as to build new decentralised generation. Shmyhal stressed that this support will help ensure stable and uninterrupted power supply throughout Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the EBRD has already provided €4 billion in financing to Ukraine.
In addition, Iceland will contribute an additional €667,000 to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. The Fund, which was established in the spring of 2022, has received contributions or pledges from Australia, the United Kingdom, Austria, Sweden and Denmark in the past few weeks.
An expert discussion on the restoration of the de-occupied territories of Ukraine took place
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine, held a conference on the restoration of the de-occupied territories of Ukraine. The participants discussed the need to develop a state strategy for comprehensive recovery, taking into account the different degrees of destruction and levels of humanitarian problems in each region.
The recovery strategy includes the formation of a human resources reserve, restoration of the governance system and basic municipal services, economic and social rehabilitation, integration of the territories into the Ukrainian information space, overcoming the consequences of militarisation and providing psychological support. Deputy Minister Natalia Kozlovska emphasised the need not only to restore the situation to the level before the full-scale invasion, but also to develop the de-occupied territories to strengthen Ukraine’s territorial integrity and cohesion.
The governments of France and Ukraine signed a grant agreement in Paris to attract €200 million in grant funds from the French Government to restore Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and support priority sectors of the economy. Of this amount, €60 million will be used to support Ukraine’s energy sector. First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Stephane Sejourne signed the agreement in the presence of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of France Emmanuel Macron.
Yulia Svyrydenko thanked the French government for its continued support of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, noting that France’s assistance is an important contribution to the restoration of critical infrastructure affected by shelling and support for priority sectors of the economy. The funds will be directed to businesses investing in healthcare, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, water and wastewater, waste management, demining, housing and digital technologies. Projects in other sectors will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Over 30 countries join plan to restore Ukraine’s cultural sector in Vilnius
At an international conference in the Lithuanian capital, 31 countries signed the Vilnius Call to Action for the Recovery of Ukraine’s Cultural Sector. This document, prepared by the Ministries of Culture of Lithuania and Ukraine, calls for placing the cultural sector at the centre of the process of stabilisation, recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, as well as the reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories and sustainable post-war development. The signatories also underlined the preparatory role of the Vilnius Conference for the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024 to be held in Berlin, where the restoration of Ukraine’s cultural sector will be discussed for the first time.
Rostyslav Karandieiev, Interim Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, stressed the importance of international support in preserving Ukrainian culture, which is part of the world’s cultural heritage. The signatory countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.
Reconstruction projects in Ukraine should include a second phase based on ESG criteria
Markus Kwerner, Partner at iC consulenten, an Austrian engineering company, stressed the importance of taking into account ESG criteria (economic, social and corporate governance) in reconstruction projects in Ukraine. In an interview with Interfax-Ukraine, he noted that updated European laws are changing the approach to construction, requiring zero CO2 emissions for new buildings by 2030. Kwerner recommended that reconstruction should be carried out in two stages: first, to quickly and efficiently restore the necessary infrastructure, and then, taking into account ESG criteria, to adapt the facilities for long-term sustainability, for example, to install photovoltaic panels and improve environmental performance.
Kwerner also highlighted the importance of the circular economy and the reuse of building materials. He emphasised that the planning of reconstruction should be viewed in terms of a two-stage approach: during the design process, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of improving the facilities in the future, which will make the process more efficient and sustainable. iC consulenten has extensive experience in infrastructure project management and has been providing its services in Ukraine since 2006, in particular, working on projects for the rehabilitation of housing for internally displaced persons and reconstruction of critical infrastructure.
Reconstruction of Ukraine – donors to set priorities at conference in Berlin
An international conference on Ukraine’s recovery, to be held in Berlin on 11-12 June, will send a message of solidarity with Ukraine, seeking its peaceful and free future in the European Union. German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock underlined the importance of the conference, which will bring together more than 2,000 participants from governments, businesses and NGOs. Previous conferences have been held in Lugano and London, helping to coordinate donor efforts to support Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
German Development Minister Svenja Schulze noted that Ukraine should continue to rebuild infrastructure even during the war. Human Rights Watch and the Ukraine Child Rights Network called for resources to protect children’s rights and restore education, as more than 3,790 educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed. At the same time, Ukrainian and international experts emphasise the need to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure and resilience. The United States has already announced new assistance of $225 million to protect energy facilities. The conference will also focus on long-term commitments for financial, military and demining assistance, emphasising the importance of transparent management of international aid.
More than 60 countries represented at Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin
On 11-12 June, the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2024) will take place in Berlin, bringing together more than 2,000 participants from more than 60 countries. The participants will include representatives of politics, business, civil society and municipalities. This is the third conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. The previous meetings in Lugano (2022) and London (2023) discussed the principles of reconstruction and private sector mobilisation, respectively. The next conference will be held in Italy in 2025.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine in all aspects, including economic, humanitarian and military assistance, as well as Ukraine’s integration into the European Union. German Minister for Development Svenja Schulze noted that the conference aims to reinforce the commitment of international partners to help Ukraine in the short and long term recovery needs of the country.
