International delegations from all over the world visit Odesa region almost every week. In an exclusive commentary to UNN, Serhii Kropyva, Deputy Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, and Kateryna Marchenko, Director of the specialized department, spoke about the nature of the meetings and the most important requests of the partners.
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Kropyva stated that the OBA team is forming a network of international partners in the region on an ongoing basis. Favorable conditions for maintaining direct contacts with partners are created by the direct border of Odesa region with Romania and Moldova, the location of 25 diplomatic missions of foreign countries and a wide range of international organizations in the region.
The issues on the agenda of international meetings are usually different, Kropyva continues. Political delegations are mostly interested in security issues, international organizations in the humanitarian situation and support for residents and IDPs, and business delegations are considering cooperation in economic projects. However, this was mostly in the postwar period. But one cornerstone issue unites all the delegations: food security, Kropyva emphasizes.
"The world knows what a fundamental role our maritime grain exports play for food security. And in general, security in the Black Sea, the effectiveness of international law on navigation is a globally important security factor. Ukrainian agricultural exports are a stabilizer in the global market. Its blocking by Russia threatens food shortages and hunger for more than 400 million people from 70 countries," reminds the deputy head of the Odesa regional administration.
Following Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, new temporary routes for civilian vessels were announced. As of January 15, 2024, 533 vessels entered the ports of Greater Odesa and 496 vessels left, including 5 evacuated. In 2023, the ports of Odesa region handled 61.93 million tons of cargo, including 48.97 million tons of agricultural products for export (grains, oil), Kropyva reports.
Kateryna Marchenko, acting director of the Department of International Cooperation and Protocol of the Odesa Regional State Administration, also spoke about the number of meetings with diplomats in Odesa Oblast. According to her, in 2023, about 100 delegations of various levels visited Odesa region, she said.
"We met with high-ranking officials, parliamentarians and representatives of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden, France, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Moldova, the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, etc. These events also included meetings with the heads of partner regions and representatives of international organizations, as well as their senior management. Each of these meetings had a specific goal - to attract assistance for our region and improve its situation.
In particular, Odesa region was visited by high-level officials: Prime Ministers of Denmark and the Netherlands; Minister of Defense of Lithuania; High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell; Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom David Cameron, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Latvia, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, France; Minister of Transport of France; Vice Prime Minister for Reintegration of Moldova; Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland; Minister Plenipotentiary, Special Envoy for Ukraine's Recovery and Resilience; Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece for Ukraine; Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development; Vice President of the German Bundestag and members of the German Bundestag; Member of the National Council of the Republic of Austria; US Permanent Representative to NATO (2008-2009), US Department of State Special Representative for Ukraine (2017-2019) Kurt Volker; UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi an
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale armed invasion of Ukraine, Odesa Oblast has expanded its circle of foreign partners, the acting director of the Department continued. In particular, last year, relations with two new interregional partners were formalized - the German Free Hanseatic City of Bremen and the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
"Odesa Oblast's long-standing partnerships with Pomeranian, Mazovian, Podkarpackie, Lubelskie, and Lodz voivodeships contributed to the fact that Polish regions were among the first to respond and provide constant assistance after the invasion began. Currently, the Republic of Poland has become a communication platform for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine," she said.
It is difficult to single out the role of a particular country in the region's life, Marchenko says. Odesa region values every partner, she adds.
"For example, the Republic of Italy will play an important role in the future reconstruction of Odesa Oblast. Italian partners will share their best practices and experience in the field of restoration, protection and preservation of cultural heritage. Leading Italian experts and companies are already involved in the restoration of the historic center of Odesa. The damage to the destroyed Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa is already being assessed. This process has already been formalized - on October 31, 2023, the Laboratory for the Reconstruction of Ukraine was officially opened in Milan.
The Hellenic Republic will also play a significant role in the reconstruction process. Given the special role of Odesa in the history of Greece, the Greek side is ready to join the restoration of architectural monuments and the historic center of Odesa that were damaged during the Russian aggression. Greece also intends to open a special office for the reconstruction of Odesa region," Marchenko said.
The Odesa Regional State Administration has ambitious plans for international cooperation in 2024, says Deputy Head of the Odesa Regional State Administration Kropyva. Among other things, they include further consolidation of the international community, implementation of previously reached agreements, qualitative increase in the efficiency of cooperation, formation of a sustainable positive image of the Odesa region, and systematic involvement of foreign partners through economic and public diplomacy to meet the needs of residents and development of the Odesa region, he said.
"One of the main tasks for 2024 is to finalize the work on the post-war recovery and development strategy for Odesa Oblast. This strategy will become an action plan to be implemented to solve the problems that are relevant to the residents, as well as to ensure that Odesa region achieves the success it deserves. The strategy is being developed taking into account the processes of integration into the European space, based on an integrated approach to maximize the region's potential," he adds.
At the same time, the OBA team continues to update the list of priority areas of assistance and anchor projects in the region in accordance with European norms and standards.
"Financial support for recovery is a multi-level process that we cannot handle without a digital system, both in terms of coordinating funding and project management. We are moving to ensure that all the needs of the region and recovery projects are combined in one digital system, regardless of who pays for them and who implements them. This is important for transparent prioritization of projects for funding.
Our goal is to introduce effective tools and systems at the local level. That is why, together with our partners, we will soon launch a platform that will digitize all the needs and projects for the region's recovery process," Kropyva emphasized.
For example, he spoke about the SPILNOTA project, which is being created to coordinate international and donor assistance to ensure the resilience and reconstruction of the Odesa region.
"The significant needs of the region and the volume of assistance require an effective mechanism for managing funds and resources, as well as ensuring maximum control and accountability of their use to society and donors.
Thanks to the SPILNOTA platform, applicants such as Odesa ATC, individual districts and communities can publish their needs and receive the assistance they need. In turn, aid providers, such as international donors and charitable foundations, can choose which area or project they are ready to support at the moment," he said.