On 22 May 2024, as part of the International Transport Forum’s annual event in Leipzig, the European Commission together with the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine organised an official side event on Ukraine -  Planning for a Green Recovery and Reconstruction of Ukraine.

The event focussed on the importance of transportation planning in Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery efforts. Panellists discussed various aspects related to planning, institutional frameworks, stakeholder coordination, and other essential elements pivotal to navigating this multifaceted recovery process. 

The panel was moderated by Dr. Adnan Rahman, Team Leader of the EU-financed project, "Assistance to the Ukrainian Authorities for Establishment of National Transport Model and Master Plan".

The panellists for this session included:

• Mr. Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine;
• Mr. Arun Thangaraj, Deputy Minister of Transport for Canada;
• Ms. Magda Kopczynska, Director-General for Mobility and Transport (DG-MOVE, European Commission);
• Mr. Robert de Groot, Vice President, European Investment Bank;
• Mr. Mircea Păscăluță, State Secretary, Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Moldova;
• Ms. Nataliya Forsyuk, Strategic advisor on Ukraine and Europe; Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine 2019-2021;
• Mr. Shomik Raj Mehndiratta, Practice Manager for Transport in Europe and Central Asia, World Bank;

During the session the discussed long-term planning and support for the reconstruction of the transport sector Ukraine, the importance of transport modelling and planning in the recovery and restoration efforts and cooperation and the role of neighbouring countries and IFIs in the recovery.

Magda Kopczyńska, Director-General for Mobility and Transport: “The EU stands firmly with Ukraine in its reconstruction efforts, understanding the crucial role a modern and efficient transport system plays in the country's recovery. Effective planning is key to successful rebuilding, and this is our chance to create a resilient transport network that fuels Ukraine's economic growth, social cohesion, and EU integration. Our EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes are already paving the way. Aligning with EU regulations and standards will be vital for smooth transport planning and progress toward EU accession. Today's event reinforced the importance of a well-planned and coordinated approach. I look forward to continuing our close cooperation with Ukraine and our international partners.”

“Without waiting for victory, we are already rebuilding houses and apartments, as well as social and infrastructure facilities, roads, and bridges. It is important for us to provide housing for people who have lost their homes, to restore transport connections and opportunities for logistics, both civilian and military. These are the first recovery priorities we are working on. According to the latest estimate, the cost of reconstruction in Ukraine is more than 480 billion dollars. These are huge funds. That is why it is important for us not just to restore the destroyed, but to restore with a "building back better" approach, considering new challenges, needs, opportunities, and resources, with long-term planning” – Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.

"The post-war reconstruction of Ukraine that is sure to follow presents an unparalleled opportunity for the transformation of Ukraine.  Exploiting this opportunity, however, will require attracting private investment and private investors to invest and participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine.  Investing in gathering high quality data, developing models, and the capacity to use these models to support the development of an evidence-based, long-term road map for the reconstruction, and for conducting robust feasibility and cost-benefit analysis will go a long way in giving investors’ confidence in the quality and attractiveness of the investments they are being asked to consider.  As things go, rigorous planning offers incredible value for money in terms of making the right choices, avoiding costly mistakes, and contributing to a successful recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. " – Dr. Adnan Rahman, Team Leader of the EU-financed project, "Assistance to the Ukrainian Authorities for Establishment of National Transport Model and Master Plan".

The International Transport Forum convenes policymakers and experts to discuss pressing transport issues and shape global transport policy agendas. The creation of a separate panel discussion on Ukraine's recovery became the opportunity to address critical topics such as long-term planning and assistance for Ukraine's transport sector recovery, transportation modelling, the involvement of neighbouring countries and IFIs in recovery efforts, potential avenues for collaboration, and, importantly, first-hand insights from countries pioneering transport innovations amidst recovery efforts.

Background information

Assistance to the Ukrainian authorities for the establishment of national transport model and master plan – the present EU financed project, will serve as a tool to support investment and transport planning in the transport sector of Ukraine by allowing the effects and impacts of various transport policy measures to be evaluated.

The transport sector is a key priority in EU–Ukraine cooperation which resulted in an EU – Ukraine Association Agreement. Association Agreement aiming at reforming road, railway, aviation, maritime, and inland waterway transport sectors and assisting Ukraine towards the achievement of efficient, safe, and secure transport.

In line with National Transport Strategy, the project "Assistance to the Ukrainian authorities for the establishment of national transport model and master plan”, includes:
• Building a comprehensive transport model
• Developing transport master plan for Ukraine, covers all modes of transport and travel to, from, within, and through Ukraine, inner-city transport being excluded.
Master plan will include short/medium term investment programs and guidelines for identifying projects in the future to contribute to the competitiveness of the transport sector and the economy of the country.

Specific Objective:

Ukraine needs a clear and coherent transport model and master plan for the transport sector, as well as short/ medium-term investment programs and guidelines for identifying projects in the long term. Based on a detailed analysis of the current situation and of the national and European transport priorities, the National Transport Model and Master Plan will be provide a robust basis for planning the future of the transport sector in Ukraine: Projects earmarked for funding from other international financial institutions, public-private partnerships, private funded initiatives, etc.

This project will support the national administration and serve as a tool for continuous development of solutions and investment planning in the transport sector and contribute to:
• Ensuring safe and efficient for mobility of people and goods;
• Planning high-quality infrastructure with acceptable economic terms;
• For all modes of transport, namely: railway, road, air, inland waterways, maritime and ferry transport and road infrastructure, taking into account their relative advantages;
• Optimal capacity utilization of existing infrastructure;
• Operational harmonization of different transport modes;
• Implementation of transport activities in accordance with environmental and climate change requirements; and the
• Re-organization of institutions involved in national transport planning and improved coordination between them.

The scope of the project covers all modes of transport and travel to, from and in Ukraine. Inner-city transport is excluded, but it will be necessary to examine the effects of urban transport on transit traffic, for example, when it generates congestion affecting transit traffic.

Expected Results:

• Prepared analysis of the existing transport system and identification of the shortcomings/weaknesses that should be corrected;
• Quantification of the existing supply and demand regarding the transport sector;
• Development of a national multi-modal transport model by collecting related data and simulating the existing transportation conditions.
• Development of proposals for the national transportation system and evaluation of them by using multi-modal transportation modeling techniques. Moreover, alternative scenarios will be formulated and evaluated.
• Evaluation of proposals and scenarios by undertaking multi-criteria assessments.
• Preparation of a socio-economical and financial assessment.
• Development of a National Transport Master Plan with the horizon year of 2030, and an interim year of 2020, including Strategic Environmental Assessment.
• Improved data collection system for all transport modes.

The ITF Summit

The annual Summit of the International Transport Forum is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and the premier global transport policy event.

Every May, ministers with responsibility for transport, business leaders, heads of international organisations, parliamentarians and policymakers, representatives of business associations and leading researchers meet for three days in Leipzig, Germany, to discuss the future of transport through the prism of a strategic topic.

For additional information, please contact project PR Expert – Anna Yovka, anna.yovka@egis-group.com or Junior PR Expert – Anastasiia Matiienko, Anastasiia.matiienko@egis-group.com