Ukraine and UNIDO discuss expansion of cooperation in industrial reconstruction

Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Oleksii Sobolev and Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Gerd Müller discussed expanding cooperation on Ukraine’s industrial reconstruction and implementing new joint initiatives. The meeting took place in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

“UNIDO is a strategic partner for Ukraine in the reconstruction and modernisation of industry. In July, we signed an agreement with UNIDO and Japan’s Ministry of Economy to launch a green industrial reconstruction initiative. Today, we are working to scale up this cooperation model and involve other industrialised countries. This will help Ukrainian businesses gain access to innovative solutions in green technologies, digitalisation, and energy efficiency,” emphasised Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Oleksii Sobolev.

During the meeting, the parties discussed:

• launching new projects under the UNIDO’s green industrial recovery programme for Ukraine (2024–2028);
• priority areas of cooperation, including digital transformation, agro-processing, development of the hydrogen economy, and decarbonisation of heavy industry;
• expanding support for quality infrastructure, standardisation, resource efficiency, and clean technologies;
• attracting private investment through the development of green financing instruments;
• initiating new partnerships with leading industrialised nations in a trilateral cooperation format with UNIDO.

Special attention during the meeting was given to the issue of establishing a permanent UNIDO representation in Ukraine. The parties noted that this would be an important step for coordinating donor efforts and attracting investments in sustainable development, and agreed to continue the dialogue during the UNIDO General Conference in Riyadh in November this year.

Background

The UNIDO’s green industrial recovery programme for Ukraine (2024–2028) brings together 15 projects with a total value exceeding USD 250 million. Key areas include the development of the hydrogen economy, implementation of energy-efficient technologies, creation of industrial parks, technology transfer, and digital transformation of industry.