Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, Kostyantyn Kovalchuk, met with a delegation from the European Investment Bank (EIB), headed by Kristina Mikulova, Head of the Regional Representation in Eastern Europe. The main topic of discussion was the implementation of the Ukraine Water Recovery program — an initiative aimed at the rapid restoration and modernization of water supply and sanitation infrastructure in Ukrainian cities affected by the war.
“We highly appreciate the European Investment Bank’s experience in implementing infrastructure projects under challenging conditions. Your technical expertise and structured approach to project planning can be critically important for the restoration and modernization of vital life-support systems. This year, we expanded cooperation with the Bank in the water sector and signed a new €100 million agreement — these funds will be directed towards rebuilding water pipelines and sewage systems and bringing them up to modern standards. Currently, the Ministry of Development is working on ratifying the Agreement and preparing the necessary implementation documents,” said Kostyantyn Kovalchuk.
He also added that, according to RDNA4 data, the water supply sector’s restoration needs amount to $11 billion over the next 10 years. To more effectively implement cooperation programs with international partners in this field (primarily the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and UNICEF), the Ministry proposed creating a Water Policy and Reform Office — or simply the “Water Office.” It is intended to become a single center for coordinating reforms, policy development, investment planning, digital transformation, and donor interaction.
Among potential cooperation areas discussed were:
- Assistance from international experts in adapting legislation and developing directives and regulations in line with EU requirements;
- Support in organizing educational programs for water supply and wastewater utility staff;
- The possibility of expanding cooperation in solid waste management.
The European Investment Bank confirmed its interest in continuing to support the Ministry’s initiatives aimed at modernizing water supply and wastewater systems — both at the stage of preparing technical documentation and in financing individual projects. Currently, the Ministry’s team is working on forming a list of priority sector needs requiring partnership support and will soon submit this document to the EIB for review.
