Vinnytsia Reconstruction Projects Presented at Japan-Ukraine Forum

In search of new investments in community development, Vinnytsia continues to expand its network of partnerships. Currently, Deputy Mayors of Vinnytsia Serhii Matusiak and Mykola Formaniuk are participating in the Japan-Ukraine Forum on Economic Recovery of Ukraine, which is part of a trade mission that will include roundtables and direct meetings on the eve of the Japan-Ukraine Intergovernmental Conference. The event, organized by Nikkei Inc. is taking place in Tokyo and will last from February 6 to 10. Vinnytsia and the projects the community plans to implement with donor assistance were presented to representatives of state and international agencies, territorial communities, foundations, investment and other companies.

The cross-cutting theme of the forum was cooperation between Japan and Ukraine, the reconstruction of Ukrainian communities affected by russian aggression, and the establishment of B2B business ties.

The events are attended by representatives of local governments of Ukrainian cities, including Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Zhytomyr, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, as well as many representatives of small territorial communities that suffered the most during the war. In addition, the Forum was attended by Kazuchika Iwata, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, as well as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Japan Serhii Korsunskyi, representatives of Tokyo city authorities, many representatives of large Japanese companies, and Akihiko Tanaka, President of JICA.

Deputy Mayor Mykola Formaniuk said that international partners are promoting the creation of an economic community where both the public and private sectors should join forces in rebuilding Ukraine to work together to develop programs for reconstruction and cooperation.

"This international and inter-level dialogue is a link from municipalities to the national level. The Japanese government is ready to share its best practices and the latest technologies," said Mykola Formaniuk, "Such support demonstrates the solidarity of the Japanese people and the Japanese government, as well as other G7 countries, in the fight for independence, creating a safe environment and rebuilding."

Deputy Mayor Serhii Matusiak spoke about the strategic development of Vinnytsia community in the areas of energy efficiency, accessibility, increasing investment potential and building economic capacity. He presented projects aimed at improving the environment within the framework of the European Green Deal to the forum participants, including investors, representatives of international organizations and businesses. These include the reconstruction of sewage treatment facilities and the installation of heat pumps, as well as a project to build a degassing system for the city's municipal landfill.

Serhii Matusiak called on the forum participants to join the implementation of these projects and, if possible, to hold consultations and negotiations on this issue.

"Our cooperation with Japan began in 2017 with the Days of Japan festival in Ukraine. At that time, the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine and Ambassador Shigeki Sumi visited Vinnytsia and personally took part in the planting of a sakura alley, which is still a decoration of Vinnytsia today. Representatives of the city took part in a diplomatic mission as part of the World Youth Leaders Ship program, thanks to which we learned about the projects of the JICA agency dedicated to building infrastructure for the economic recovery of states," said Serhii Matusiak. "For a long time, we have been developing partnerships with other countries and European cities in a horizontal plane - between municipalities and communities. External support is very important now, so we are grateful to the organizers for the invitation and the opportunity to present Vinnytsia City Territorial Community at the international level."

At the events, the delegation from Vinnytsia also told the public about the challenges faced by our community during the full-scale invasion. These include hosting internally displaced persons from other regions of the country, helping relocated businesses, providing humanitarian support to frontline regions and cities that have been occupied by russians, and the tragic events related to terrorist rocket attacks caused by the russian federation.

According to Akihiko Tanaka, Director of the JICA Office, further cooperation should be based on loan-based economic reconstruction, cooperation with Moldova, where 700,000 Ukrainian refugees are currently staying - Japan has already provided medical aid and medical equipment - as well as Japan's long-term support for Ukraine's recovery. This includes support for social services, agriculture, landmine disposal, and a long-term plan for the return of Ukrainians to Ukraine.