The Ministry of Social Policy held a meeting with representatives of the World Bank to discuss Ukraine’s recovery and cooperation in the social sphere. The meeting was attended by Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Oksana Zholnovych and First Deputy Minister Daria Marchak. The World Bank was represented by Regional Director for Human Development in Europe and Central Asia Michal Rutkowski, Practice Manager for Social Protection and Jobs Paolo Belli, Senior Economist Nithin Umapathi, and Head of the World Bank Country Office in Ukraine Gevorg Sargsyan.

The parties discussed ongoing and priority projects. These include continued financial support for key social programmes for Ukrainian citizens, including low-income earners, internally displaced persons, and people with disabilities.

“The World Bank’s expertise and support is important to us. I am therefore pleased that we have established a dialogue and agreed to continue our close cooperation, focusing on three key areas,” said Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovych.

The meeting focused on the following areas of cooperation:

• maintaining current spending on social assistance and meeting certain indicators and criteria: it is important to increase resources to fight poverty, but it is equally important to ensure that these resources are used effectively;
• the development of social services, because money without services does not allow a person to get out of a difficult situation. Also, the introduction of a national social services purchaser to improve the quality and accessibility of these services;
• improving the pension system: there is a great demand in society for pension reform, so the Ministry’s team is actively working on its implementation.