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The successful collaboration between the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE), the Central Project Management Agency, and the Lithuanian government has enabled the implementation of pilot projects for the restoration of a school in Borodianka and a kindergarten in Irpin. It's worth noting that both educational institutions, along with many other civilian objects in those cities, were destroyed during the russian occupation in the spring of 2022.
On August 24, the kindergarten opened its doors to young visitors and their parents, while the school is next in line. The Lithuanian partners have expressed their satisfaction with the efficiency and transparency of the administrative processes conducted by the ULIE and are already considering launching new initiatives.
According to Artūras Žarnovskis, the head of the "Rebuilding Ukraine's Future" program at the Central Project Management Agency (CPMA), the main focus areas will include the restoration of social facilities such as schools and hospitals, energy infrastructure, and medical rehabilitation for wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. These topics were discussed during a working meeting between the ULIE, the CPMA of Lithuania, and the Confederation of Lithuanian Industrialists.
The parties signed a memorandum of cooperation in April 2023, but they have been working together for several years. The document simply updated the directions of cooperation, taking into account the challenges posed by the state of war in Ukraine and the scale of destruction caused by russian aggressors.
Anatoliy Kinakh, the President of the ULIE, expressed gratitude to the Lithuanians for their unprecedented support and assistance to Ukraine. He also noted that Ukrainian industrialists and entrepreneurs are actively working on the Ukraine Recovery Plan, coordinating their efforts with the government, the State Agency for Recovery and Development, and international partners.
ULIE has strengthened existing connections and established new ones with major business associations in the EU and worlwide, such as Businesseurope, Business at OECD, the National Association of Manufacturers in the USA, and business communities in Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Poland, France, and more.
Anatoliy Kinakh proposed that Lithuanian colleagues collaborate on typical projects based on technical solutions from BOD Group (Lithuania) for autonomous power supply of social facilities like schools and hospitals.
Additionally, the ULIE will identify and present objects for reconstruction or construction from scratch, based on co-financing from the CPMA and funds from businesses or European grants.
Lidiya Kashubene, Director of the CPMA, emphasized the importance of a global perspective on these projects, as the restored schools indirectly contribute to the return of many Ukrainian women and children to their homes.
Furthermore, the participants of the meeting underscored the importance of involving businesses in such projects. Without private capital and public-private partnerships, scaling up these efforts will be challenging. Currently, over 400 schools in Ukraine have been destroyed, with another 3,000 in need of significant reconstruction.
Artūras Žarnovskis mentioned that the Ministry of Economy of Lithuania is preparing financial instruments to support Lithuanian businesses in Ukraine, highlighting the need for Ukraine to insure against war-related risks. Anatoliy Kinakh informed his colleagues that a regulatory document regarding insurance against war risks in Ukraine is in its final stages of approval, and there is hope it will be adopted soon.
The ULIE is also working on mechanisms to maximize business involvement in Ukraine's recovery projects. In collaboration with the State Agency for Recovery, the business union is focused on ensuring that tenders prioritize local production, transparent pricing, and other aspects.
All the proposals and achievements discussed during the working meeting will be presented at the Inter-Governmental Commission Meeting between Ukraine and Lithuania, scheduled for tomorrow, September 7th.