Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources: We are strengthening cooperation with UNICEF Ukraine to accelerate the implementation of water supply programmes, climate policy development and youth engagement in environmental tracks
Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Ruslan Strilets and UNICEF Representative to Ukraine Munir Mammadzade signed a memorandum of cooperation. They discussed the key topics of environmental cooperation – providing the population with quality drinking water and promoting the right of children to a healthy environment.
Water is the basis of all life. Today, it is one of the priority needs in the frontline areas and one of the main topics for discussion with international partners.
The focus of the Ministry’s cooperation with UNICEF is on:
- implementation of a programme to provide quality drinking water to the 9 most vulnerable frontline regions of Ukraine;
- support for water quality monitoring and sustainable water management;
- development of Ukraine’s climate policy;
- implementation of educational initiatives for young people with a focus on water conservation, waste management and other relevant topics;
- development of the area of rehabilitation and improvement of the mental health of children in the national parks of Ukraine and their involvement in climate change measures;
- creating conditions for youth councils.
“Young people are particularly vulnerable in times of war. Young people are the engine of development, and development is impossible without a clean environment. The consequences of the russian invasion prove that the problem of the impact of hostilities on the environment requires a global approach and long-term solutions. The more environmentally aware young people are, the more developed Ukrainian society is. I thank Munir Mammadzade for a meaningful meeting and new horizons for cooperation. I am confident that we will be able to combine our best practices to promptly address current issues,” said Ruslan Strilets.