The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine at its extraordinary meeting approved the Medium-Term Action Plan, which contains essential priorities of the Government’s activities for the next three years up to 2020.

Presenting the plan, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman stressed that the elaborated document represents a team work of the entire Government, and it determines the principal directions of work aimed to build a new model of development of Ukraine’s economy different from the commodity-based economy and capable to ensure sustainable growth through effective privatization, upgrading infrastructure, modernization of energy system, pension reform, land reform, judicial reform, as well as reforms in education and healthcare sectors.

"We really need consolidation of efforts of all authorities to achieve the goal. This plan is necessary to bring about change and make it tangible for the people. In 2017 we intend to use the experience that we already have. There has appeared the plan in Ukraine that is absolutely real", said Volodymyr Groysman while presenting the document.

According to the Head of the Government, the outlined priorities were designed to ensure sustained economic upturn, solving social problems, effective fighting against poverty. "All these will give the opportunity to achieve economic growth, provide efficient governance, develop human capital," he said.

"Our topmost objective is as follows: economic growth and improved quality of people’s lives. Most importantly, we can fulfil that aim", urged the Prime Minister.

The draft Medium-Term Plan of Priority Actions for the Government up to 2020 had been presented in December 2016 and aftermath widely discussed with experts, civil society and international partners.

"This is the action plan, but not a plan of projects, thoughts – it includes what activities the Government together with local authorities will engage in starting in 2017 and through 2020", stressed Volodymyr Groysman.

5 Medium-Term Plan priorities for the Government until 2020

Economic growth

In this direction, the Government focuses on achieving goals: making economy strong and competitive, ensuring sustainable GDP growth at 4-5% per year, abandoning a resource-based economy and transition to the creation of added value inside the country.

The Cabinet of Ministers takes measures to create favorable business environment in the country and attract investments, to promote export and the national industry, said the Head of Government. Therefore, there has been set up Ukraine Investment Promotion Office, the National Industry Development Committee.

Speaking of deregulation, Volodymyr Groysman reminded that the Government had annulled 367 regulations the previous year and over 100 in 2017, those hampering making business.

Effective governance

"We'll never be capable of solving issues of efficient development of the country, unless we build a strong government structure, strong civil service which is ready to provide adequate response to the challenges and maintain effective governance. Our objective is to ensure that authorities we are forming, including in the framework of the decentralization process in the regions, start providing quality services to citizens. We must introduce a new system of management inside the government and create conditions for the improvement of human capacity", stressed the Head of Government.

The Prime Minister reminded that from 1 May 2016, the Government had launched a civil service reform.

Other achievements include the ongoing power decentralization reform, introducing of e-governance aimed to reduce corruption, to enhance the quality of governance and cut costs for the civil service sector.

Human resource capacity development, which implies the following targets: higher quality and expectancy of life, reduce poverty, implementation by the state of its social contract.

"We need to alleviate poverty in the country, because living in the 21st century in the middle of Europe it is inappropriate to have such a low standard of living, it is inconsistent with the real potential of our state", stressed the Head of Government.

In this direction the Government has worked out the education reform, healthcare reform that of pension system, noted Volodymyr Groysman. He believes that these decisions will enable to trigger dynamic economic growth next year, to increase the efficiency of use of public funds and the quality of people’s lives.

Moreover, the Prime Minister singled out among essential priorities for the Government the development of culture and sports, said the Prime Minister.

The rule of law and fight against corruption

The Prime Minister assures that the most reputable branch of power should be judiciary and the Ukrainian courts. "The process of transformation has been launched inside the judicial branch and will last for several years. But with applying relevant approach we will be able to establish the judicial system characterized by availability and fairness", he noted.

The Government is working to implement anti-corruption measures inside the Cabinet of Ministers, thereby contributing to eradication of corruption, accentuated Volodymyr Groysman.

Also, on the agenda is the task to support the work of anti-corruption institutions, protect property rights and ensure equal access to justice.

Security and defence

The main objectives in this direction include the development of the Armed Forces and the National Guards, law enforcement structures; the reconstruction of the liberated territories; the reintegration of the occupied territories, as well as strategic communication and diplomacy. Regarding the latter, the Government in 2017 has taken steps aimed at strengthening of diplomatic missions of Ukraine in the world, added Volodymyr Groysman.