Ministry for Communities and Territories Development and UNICEF sign memorandum of understanding to promote child- and youth-focused recovery and decentralisation across Ukraine

The restoration of life-support systems in frontline regions, decentralisation of energy, and strengthening the capacity of communities were the key topics of the meeting between Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for  Communities and Territories Development, and Anne-Claire Dufay, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine. Deputy Ministers Maryna Denysiuk, Kostiantyn Kovalchuk, and Oleksii Riabykin also took part in the meeting.

On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on close cooperation to strengthen water supply, sanitation, heating and energy systems, as well as in the area of regional development reforms and public finance management. The Memorandum aims to promote inclusive and community-oriented recovery, and to ensure that investments in children and young people are prioritised as the foundation for rebuilding Ukraine’s human capital.

Particular attention was paid to preparations for the next heating season and the needs of regions in line with Energy Resilience Plans. This includes the protection of critical infrastructure facilities, distributed generation, and ensuring uninterrupted heating, water supply and wastewater services.

UNICEF remains one of the key partners in providing communities with backup power and sustainable energy solutions in the field of solar energy to support water supply and wastewater services, healthcare and education.

“Today our priority is the transition from emergency response to a consistent and comprehensive resilience programme. We have developed a portfolio of priority projects in the water supply sector that are ready for implementation. This will allow us to modernise and ensure the uninterrupted operation of water supply systems, while enabling communities to become more energy independent,” noted Oleksii Kuleba.

A separate item on the agenda was the reform of public investment management. UNICEF will continue to provide technical assistance to the Ministry for updating legislation, digitalising the public investment management system, and synchronising investments with the budget process. This will enable communities to more effectively attract funding for recovery programmes focused on children and young people.

The parties also discussed the importance of protecting children and preventing family separation. The Ministry highlighted the need to ensure the safety of children and families at railway stations and during evacuation by train, in particular through the deployment of temporary shelters.