The Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Regional Identity of the Federal Republic of Germany signed a Joint Statement of Intent on cooperation in the field of forestry.
The signing took place within the framework of the international Green Week (Grüne Woche) exhibition in Berlin.
The document continues the long-standing Ukrainian-German partnership in sustainable forest management and is based on the Framework Agreement on Technical Cooperation between the governments of the two countries.
The agreement aims to develop a modern, environmentally balanced, and economically efficient forestry sector that meets European standards and contributes to the preservation of natural resources.
“Forests are a strategic resource for Ukraine, both in terms of ecological security and economic development. Cooperation with Germany gives us access to advanced European expertise, innovative technologies, and modern approaches to forest management. This agreement opens new opportunities for implementing the National Forest Inventory, enhancing the climate resilience of the forestry sector, and aligning Ukrainian legislation with EU standards,” said Oleksiy Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine.
According to the Joint Statement, the key areas of cooperation will include:
- Developing and implementing forestry policies in line with European standards;
- Supporting the conduct and use of results from Ukraine’s National Forest Inventory;
- Measures to adapt the forestry sector to climate change and reduce the negative impacts of climate risks;
- Implementing effective and environmentally safe technologies for using forest resources;
- Increasing the economic efficiency of forest management.
The parties agreed to exchange scientific and technical information, conduct joint training activities, exchange specialists, and implement joint projects.
A Coordination Council will be established to manage cooperation, set work priorities, approve annual plans, and facilitate the practical implementation of joint initiatives.
The German side will provide expert and technical support, including the involvement of international specialists and funding for joint projects. Ukraine, in turn, will facilitate the organization of workflows and the engagement of relevant specialists.
The signed statement of intent is planned for five years, with the possibility of further extension, and is intended to be an important step in modernizing Ukraine’s forestry sector, integrating it into the European space, and strengthening the country’s environmental resilience.
