Kyiv, 25 October 2024 – The first three facilities created under the Support to Rapid Economic Recovery of Ukrainian Municipalities (SRER) project have opened in three Ukrainian cities. Opening ceremonies held in the cities of Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, and Vinnytsia on 25 October were attended by representatives of GIZ Ukraine and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, which are jointly implementing the project.

The SRER project aims to achieve the recovery of local economies in Ukrainian municipalities by ensuring swift repairs and improvements to basic and business infrastructure. The availability of and access to such infrastructure is essential for the survival and development of micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses.

The project includes not only large oblast centres such as Lutsk, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia, and Ivano-Frankivsk, but also relatively small cities such as Zvyagel, Stryi, Smila, and Lozova.

In the latest achievements under the project, Open Space Ternopil, a space that combines co-working, industrial and urban design studios, and a training centre, was created in Ternopil. The space will support veteran businesses and local startups, among others.

Khmelnytskyi opened ProModni space, which will become a centre for the development of the textile and fashion industries, as well as the city's trade and economic sectors. Here, entrepreneurs will be able to access business space and participate in networking events that promote cooperation and exchange of experience.

Meanwhile, Vinnytsia implemented an initiative to create the 3,800-square-meter Crystal Innovation and Technology Park. Under this SRER project, the city received catalytic financial investment that allowed it to resume work on the park after the start of the full-scale invasion. The newly created office and public spaces that opened on 25 October in the territory of the city’s Crystal Park will create conditions for the restoration and development of businesses, including relocated ones.

Deputy Programme Director “EU4Business: SME Recovery, Competitiveness and Internationalization” Tatjana Anischuk commented: “The Government of Germany continues to provide support to Ukraine to strengthen its economy during the war. Our actions are aimed not only at a rapid recovery but also at strengthening the dialogue and partnership between government and business to support business. In this joint project with UNDP, we are working with municipalities to create the conditions for entrepreneurs to resume, expand or strengthen their operations as soon as possible, and thus cope with today's challenges, create new jobs and pay taxes, support further recovery and development of Ukraine's economy.”

UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Jaco Cilliers emphasized: “UNDP, together with its partners, is continuing to work tirelessly on Ukraine's recovery and development. This project is a prime example of how joint efforts are helping to rebuild infrastructure that not only meets the needs of the present but also lays the foundation for sustainable development in the future. It will provide much-needed support to entrepreneurs, boost collaboration and business growth, help communities recover, and build long-term economic resilience.”

In addition to infrastructure rehabilitation, the SRER project includes capacity-building activities for local governments, business communities, and civil society organisations, which will ensure the sustainability of the results after the project is completed and stimulate further local initiatives for community economic development.

The “Support to Rapid Economic Recovery of Ukrainian Municipalities” (SRER) project is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine as part of the international cooperation project ReACT4UA (“Utilization and Implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in the field of trade”), which is financed by the German Government and is being implemented by the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org