The World Bank has renewed its management team in the areas of cooperation with Ukraine, including social sector reform. Therefore, an important part of the meeting was the introduction of the Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, Oksana Zholnovych, and the new World Bank Regional Director for Eastern Europe, Bob Saum, as well as the discussion of the World Bank’s social protection programme in Ukraine.

“The World Bank covers a huge part of the expenditures made by the Ministry to help people with disabilities and low-income families – a total of 29 types of social benefits under the INSPIRE project. And we are very grateful for this. Without this support, we as a state would not be able to fulfil our obligations to people in need,” said Oksana Zholnovych.

The Minister also noted that it was very important to expand cooperation. Therefore, during the meeting, the parties discussed additional projects aimed at overcoming poverty in Ukraine; helping those in difficult life circumstances to become economically independent; supporting people with disabilities and other categories of people in need.