The Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Ukraine and Agriteam Canada Consulting LTD have signed a Memorandum to establish Regional Project Management Centres.

The goal of the regional centres is to create an effective project management system at the local self-government level to implement projects, strengthen regional management teams, as well as at the central level to help simplify investment attraction procedures.

The memorandum was signed by Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, Marius Janukonis, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to Ukraine, and Tawnia Sanford, EDGE Project Director.

“I thank the Government of Lithuania, the Government of Canada, international financial partners – the World Bank, the EIB, the EBRD, that support implementation of 41 projects in Ukraine on modernisation of communal enterprises-suppliers of heating, water and household waste management. In cooperation with the European Investment Bank, we are also implementing the Donbas recovery programme, that foresees many projects. On the other hand, to implement these projects effectively, we need to strengthen the management teams on the ground. We want to build a system that would help local self-government, the Government and international financial organisations with recommendations on simplifying project execution and investment attraction procedures in Ukraine,” said Hennadii Zubko.

“This is a very important project for the future of Ukraine, that has a great potential – economic, political and in terms of new jobs’ creation. Everyone will benefit from the project, including the international financial organisations. I would like to remind that in 2027 Lithuania will preside in the EU for the second time. And we have a plan that concerns Ukraine and its approaching to EU membership. And today’s project also brings Ukraine closer to the EU,” said former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius.

Hennadii Zubko emphasised that the Memorandum should be institutionally enshrined at the level of municipalities, as well as Regional Development Agencies, 18 of which have been successfully operating in Ukraine. Thus, for this purpose, it is necessary to determine the goals and specific KPIs. For her part, Tawnia Sanford, EDGE Project Director, said that the project will allow Ukrainians to work in their hometowns and build a successful career.

“This project is important. It should help regions become more capable in the management of investment projects and cooperation with donors. The project is based on our experience, since before joining the EU, Lithuania had the same problems with project management that are currently in place in Ukraine. Therefore, we will help you,” said Tadas Valionis, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania.

According to Roman Vashchuk, the project will help create a class of new regional managers in Ukraine.

The signing ceremony was attended by Andrius Kubilius, former Prime Minister of Lithuania, Roman Vashchuk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine, Satu Kahkonen, the World Bank Country Director for Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine, Tadas Valionis, Deputy Ambassador of Lithuania.