World Bank's recovery projects for Ukraine may apply to agriculture, housing - Finance Ministry

MOSCOW. April 13 (Interfax) - Ukraine and the World Bank have discussed the elaboration of joint systemic projects to be implemented in the course of Ukraine's recovery through the RELINC (Repairing Essential Logistics Infrastructure and Network Connectivity) transport infrastructure project, the Re-Power electric industry project, and the HEAL Ukraine healthcare project.

"The sides are also discussing new projects to support Ukrainian agriculture and farmers and to rebuild damaged or lost homes," the Ukrainian media said, citing a statement issued by the Ukrainian Finance Ministry on Wednesday after a meeting of Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko and World Bank Vice President of the Europe and Central Asia Region Antonella Bassani in Washington.

Marchenko thanked the World Bank team for tangible support provided during the crisis, including the establishment of the Multi-Donor Trust Fund in 2022 to mobilize funds needed by Ukraine. "This facility has allowed our state budget to draw $14 billion and 1.3 billion euros," he said.

The Ukrainian government timely and fully funds social and humanitarian expenses owing to the World Bank's Public Expenditures for Administrative Capacity Endurance (PEACE) facility, Marchenko said.

The World Bank is a strategic partner in Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery, he said.

World Bank Country Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Arup Banerji told the Ukrainian media at the end of February that the bank established another facility, the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund (URTF), in late 2022 to coordinate grant funding. The fund has received $295 million to date.

The signing and approval of the first URTF grant was announced on February 10, Banerji said. In his words, $50 million were allotted for the RELINC project to repair and rebuild Ukrainian transport routes for the delivery of humanitarian and recovery assistance and the enlargement of capacity of import and export corridors.

An extra $210-million grant was provided for new projects in the healthcare recovery, the Heal Ukraine project, which aims to improve and strengthen primary health care and meet the growing demand for mental health and rehabilitation services.

It is planned to implement the Energy Recovery and Winterization Project (Re-Power) to help the government procure essential equipment for the resumption of power supply to Ukrainians. The URTF will soon start funding additional projects, which are still being elaborated, once new contributions are made, Banerji said back then.