The head of Odesa Regional State Administration Oleh Kiper spoke at the Conference on the Restoration of Ukraine in Berlin during the panel “Using International Territorial Partnership for Restoration and Approximation to the EU”, reports UNN.
I informed foreign partners about the situation in Odesa Oblast, about the experience of our region and the problems we face. Odesa region is constantly working to develop cooperation. Currently, the region and communities have more than 170 existing agreements with regions of Europe and the world
He added that the Conference paid special attention to the “Patronage of Nations” initiative. According to Kipper, the initiative is an important component of ensuring the long-term recovery of the regions of Ukraine affected by the war.
One example of the successful implementation of this initiative is Italy's patronage for the restoration of Odesa region. This is a dynamic process that began on October 02, 2023, with a statement by Antonio Tajani, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, on taking Odesa and Odesa region under the patronage of Italy. Already in February 2024, an agreement was signed between the Italian Republic and UNESCO, according to which Italy makes a contribution of 500 thousand euros for the restoration of the Transfiguration Cathedral. In the long term, the main areas of cooperation will be energy, infrastructure, industry, and urban development. We appreciate the active position of the Italian government in supporting the rapid recovery of Ukraine, Odesa region in particular
Kiper said that the Odesa region's authorities are also planning to cooperate with individual Italian regions to implement specific initiatives and projects that take into account the specific needs and capabilities of both sides.