Ministry of Finance and UNICEF deepen cooperation in public finance management and human capital support

On August 18, the Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko met with the newly appointed Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to Ukraine, Anne-Claire Dufay.

The Deputy Minister Olga Zykova and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Lesia Ivanyshchuk also joined the discussion.

A key topic of the dialogue was coordinating efforts to implement the Public Finance Management Strategy for 2026–2030 and to improve the efficiency of public spending.

The Finance Minister emphasized that the Government's primary objective today is to create conditions that encourage people to live and work in Ukraine. Achieving this requires developing childcare infrastructure, supporting higher education, and actively engaging youth and women in the labor market.

Special attention was given during the meeting to the efficient allocation of resources. Sergii Marchenko stressed the critical importance of ensuring social benefits are highly targeted. Amid limited financial resources, assistance must be directed exclusively to the families and vulnerable groups who need it most, ensuring fairness and preventing social inequality.

UNICEF representatives supported this approach and offered to share data from their large-scale household surveys to facilitate more precise budget planning at both the national and local levels.

In total, since the onset of the full-scale invasion, UNICEF has mobilized over USD 2 billion to support Ukraine. Nearly 1.9 million people have already received cash assistance totaling USD 450 million. Additionally, another USD 45 million has been earmarked for humanitarian needs to prepare for the 2026-2027 winter season.

Meeting participants also highlighted the significant results of joint initiatives aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity of local communities. Thanks to this partnership, approximately 1,000 public servants have already undergone training on efficient, child-responsive local expenditure planning. UNICEF expressed its readiness to help institutionalize these programs, particularly by integrating them into university curricula.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to develop and sign an official Joint Work Plan for 2027. This will ensure that UNICEF's international technical and financial support is fully aligned with Ukraine's budget policy priorities.