Swiss-Ukrainian cooperation is, first and foremost, about continuity and trust built over decades. Skat Consulting Ltd. has operated in over 100 countries for nearly 50 years, yet its history of partnership with Ukraine is unique. Beginning in 2007 with the DESPRO project, this work became one of the key drivers of Ukrainian decentralisation, laying the foundation for communities to become true masters of their own land.

Today, SKAT is far more than an external implementer. It serves as a bridge between international expertise and Ukrainian realities. For the company, reconstruction is not merely about restoring infrastructure; it is about embedding the principles of Circular Reconstruction and Green Recovery. This involves creating solutions where resources are used rationally, waste is transformed into opportunities, and restored energy and water supplies form the bedrock of community climate resilience. It is about the "circular recovery" of not only physical objects but also institutions – developing policies and management systems that will function autonomously and transparently long after international donors have concluded their missions.

In this conversation, we discuss how the demands of Ukrainian society have evolved over the past 20 years, why Swiss expertise in water supply and governance has proved critical during the full-scale war, and how to build international cooperation on shared values rather than just reporting. We are joined by Rupa Mukerji, CEO of Skat Consulting Ltd.

1. Skat Consulting is an organisation with significant experience. Could you please tell us which countries you operate/have operated in and which types of projects you focus on?

SKAT has worked in over 100 countries in the last (almost) 50 years, as a project implementor, technical advisor, and as a facilitator of innovative learning. Currently, SKAT has offices and strong local teams in several countries in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and in Africa. We are an owner-operated company with expertise in the areas of Water, Energy, Building, and Governance.

We implement long-term development projects, provide technical assistance, project design, evaluation, and monitoring support.  SKAT is also well known for facilitating joint learning processes, building and nurturing networks of practitioners, such as the AGUASAN network, and for supporting its partners with innovative learning processes.

 

 

2. Skat Consulting has been working in Ukraine for over 15 years. Why is there such a focus on Ukraine specifically, and in your opinion, which projects have been the most landmark achievements for Ukraine during this time?

SKAT’s commitment to Ukraine is long-standing and has evolved with the needs of the country. Since early 2006, SKAT Consulting implemented the DESPRO project, funded by the Swiss Government, which contributed to launching the decentralization reforms in Ukraine. Over the years, DESPRO supported key national institutions in decentralization policy development, and provided both technical expertise and communication support for the reform process. It supported the development of decentralized public service provision such water supply, wastewater treatment, municipal waste management and their financing mechanisms through community ownership and participation in service design and provision. A significant contribution was also made to empowering local government officials through comprehensive nationwide educational programs. These achievements had significantly improved the quality of life and governance in Ukraine’s rural communities before the invasion. The project has played a key role in drafting legislation for decentralisation, laying the foundation for future reforms.

Designed with a vision of not only (re) building infrastructure and providing services, but also strengthening institutions and building the policy foundations on which they function as independent and accountable entities, the project is a landmark achievement. Finally, international cooperation is also about relationships and institutions on shared values. We are proud that the DESPRO project has developed into an independent and proud Ukrainian institution.

3. You worked here long before the full-scale invasion. Does this help you better understand our country’s needs now, during the war, and navigate the multi-stakeholder system (state authorities, local self-government, business, NGOs, expert communities, etc.) compared to projects that only started after 2022?

Indeed, our deep understanding of Ukrainian society, institutions, and stakeholders is a key strength that helps us design and deliver pragmatic solutions that deliver visible impacts. Our longstanding partnerships and goodwill help us to act as bridge-builder and facilitators between Ukrainian and external actors. We have a large network of thematic experts, and friends, in Ukraine who very generously share their expertise and insights with us to maximize the positive impacts through our work.       

 

 

4. Skat Ukraine LLC was recently registered. Does this indicate a transition from a project-based presence to a permanent branch, and do you plan to operate here long-term? Who are your main partners now? What is the format of your cooperation with the DESPRO NGO?

The registration in Ukraine helps us to bring different activities under one umbrella, allowing us to invest in new collaborations and incubate ideas before they become specific projects. We have been a partner in Ukraine’s development for 20 years and we are commitment to contribute now, and in the longer-term reconstruction and development of Ukraine.

We have several ongoing partnerships and collaborations with Ukrainian municipalities, CSOs, several Ukrainian technical experts in the fields of water, wastewater, energy efficiency and building; Ukrainian associations such as of water professionals and of waste recyclers. We also work with the private sector and seek to further strengthen such collaboration. We have partnered with and enabled several Swiss NGOs to establish or grow their programmes in Ukraine after the invasion. Among these are Helvetas, HEKS, the Lutheran World Federation. Our financing partners are various departments of Swiss development cooperation, its research programme, Swiss cities, and recently, NEFCO. Being a private company, we can develop different models of partnership to meet specific needs.  

DESPRO is our strategic partner. They supported us in registering SKAT Ukraine LLC, Oksana Garnets helps us in leading and shaping our engagements at strategic as well as operational levels.  We value DESPRO's competence not only in Ukraine but also for our programme in Moldova. While currently our focus is on reconstruction, our commitment is to rebuilding Ukraine as a strong and democratic nation.

5.  What areas of expertise does the Skat Consulting team represent, and which specific experts make up its core?

Our core competence is in 4 interrelated thematic areas: 

• Water & Environmental Services: Integrated Water Security, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH); multi-level Water Governance.
• Energy & Climate:  Just Energy Transition, Renewable Energy, and Energy Efficiency
• Building: Sustainable construction and inclusive settlements.
• Governance:  Local Governance, Decentralisation & Public Sector Reform, and Civil Society & Civic Space.

Two crosscutting streams complement this - Sectoral Governance and Governance in Fragile Contexts.

More information is available here: Skat Consulting Ltd.

SKAT combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of economic, social, environmental, and institutional realities. We translate concepts into tangible results and lasting impact, fostering structural and sustainable transformation.

6. Which projects are currently being implemented, and which ones are planned for the future?

In Ukraine, SKAT is facilitating City-to-City partnerships between the cities and water utilities of Zurich and Vinnytsia.

SKAT collaborates with Swiss NGOs on reconstruction and is developing a new collaboration to promote circular construction technologies for thermal comfort and energy efficiency, adapting leading-edge Swiss technologies for the Ukrainian context and resources. We are very excited about the potential of this project, which brings together several Swiss and Ukrainian actors. Such ‘competence-led’ facilitation of partnerships is a core competence of SKAT for which we are valued by all stakeholders in a system.

SKAT is also collaborating with EPFL, a research institution in Switzerland, and several actors in Ukraine including Waste Recycling Association of Ukraine (UAWRA) to develop options for re-use (rather than recycling) of precast concrete panels in the reconstruction as the safe management of construction debris is a both a challenge and an opportunity.

SKAT experts are providing technical assistance to the NEFCO-supported Danish collaboration in Mykolaiv.  

 In Switzerland, SKAT actively contributes to training and further education programme for Ukrainian experts to integrate Swiss and global know-how in re-building Ukraine.  

Globally,  SKAT implements several other projects which can be seen here:  Skat Consulting Ltd. | Projects

7. Skat has experience in the construction and reconstruction sector. What do you see as the main challenges in this area for Ukraine now and in the post-war reconstruction period, and what approaches can Skat Consulting offer?

Given the large-scale destruction of the housing stock and infrastructure, there is a great need for innovative, energy-efficient, and crisis-resilient construction solutions. Thermal-resistant building technologies are needed which are characterized by minimal energy consumption for heating and cooling, ease of maintenance, and the ability to retain heat for several days even in the event of power outages or damage to heating networks.

SKAT wants to work with Ukrainian municipalities, local architects, engineers, and builders to promote the use of well-established, modern, high-resilience construction technologies widely used in Switzerland. Especially promising for regions such as Kharkiv, is the construction technology based on massive brick structures that function as thermal mass. Considering the centuries-long history of brick production in Kharkiv, as well as the significant quantities of brick generated from the dismantling of damaged buildings, the introduction of such technologies holds substantial potential for the city’s recovery.

Currently, large volumes of brick from destroyed buildings are disposed of as construction waste or crushed, which entails additional energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. SKAT would like to support the reintegration of reusable brick into the building materials supply chain. These have been successfully applied in Western and Northern Europe, North America, and Australia.

 

 

8. In your view, what approaches are encompassed by the term "Ukraine’s green recovery"? How do you envision this process in Ukraine, and is it possible to implement it fully during the war?

The Green recovery should not only be about technologies but also about the creation of jobs, new ways of working, and partnerships. A Green Recovery should contribute to the creation of new “green” jobs, which is particularly important for supporting socially vulnerable groups and war veterans. Energy efficiency considerations should drive strategic choices. These are especially important considerations given the specific targeting of energy infrastructure. 

The Green Recovery creates opportunities to put in place new and improved systems and standards.  This will be an enabler during the largescale reconstruction, creating local employment, reducing energy needs and reducing the environmental burden.

While the war poses many challenges, principles of good governance – Transparency, Accountability and Participation, should be cherished as in essence this invasion is a war on these values.

9. International technical assistance projects are often implemented in collaboration with several or more partners from different countries. Does Skat see challenges in this, and what, in your opinion, is the key to successful cooperation?

While contributing and leading many international collaborations, local knowledge, ownership and long-term relationships is a key feature of SKAT’s work since its founding almost 50 years ago. Such mutually respectful collaboration is in our DNA and is key to successful cooperation.

10. It is no secret that communication regarding international technical assistance projects in Ukraine is not always sufficient, especially for a broad audience. What approaches does Skat plan to take in terms of communication and public engagement during project implementation?

We will work with our partners and build on existing communication networks, which are strong and several, to reach out to different stakeholders. We do not propose to create new communication platforms, rather we see our role in contributing content and strengthening existing platforms. 

11. In your opinion, what advantages do your partners see in cooperating with Skat Consulting, and why do they choose your organisation for project implementation?

SKAT is valued by its partners for its deep thematic competence, global expertise and the combination of project management, technical assistance and partnership facilitation skills that it brings to any collaboration. SKAT is a small company with large expertise. We are owner operated which allows us to take a longer-term view and we have a flat hierarchy which enables us to decide fast and act on these decisions. We flourish due to the quality of our team, the trust of our partners and clients, and the intrinsic motivation created by the impact of our work.

 

 

Skat Consulting remains open to new partnerships and dialogue. To discuss potential opportunities in Ukraine or for more information on our ongoing projects, feel free to reach out to Oksana Garnets (oksana.garnets@int.skat.ch) or Rupa Mukerji.