UNDP | Europe & CIS | UNDP and its partners work out new strategies to promote socio-economic recovery of Chernobyl affected communities

UNDP and its partners work out new strategies to promote socio-economic recovery of Chernobyl affected communities

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Borodyanka (Kyiv region) November 2: – The Third Meeting of the Chernobyl Economic Development Forum (ChEDF) organized by the Forum, and UNDP-led Chernobyl Recovery & Development Programme (CRDP) in cooperation with Ukrainian and Foreign partners was held in Borodyanka . The Third ChEDF meeting was an important platform in bringing together international organizations, donors, communities, businesses, NGOs, and mass media to discuss actual problems and successes, to work out the comprehensives strategies and approaches for socio-economic recovery and development of affected areas.

The Forum was held just a day after the new Report of the UN Secretary General on optimizing international efforts to minimize Chernobyl catastrophe consequences was forwarded to the UN General Assembly. The Report especially underlines the need to contribute to sustainable socio-economic development of affected areas, to create new employment opportunities and importance of attract additional investments.

Welcoming the ChEDF participants, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine Ms. Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecka stressed the importance of international partnership to mitigate the Chernobyl catastrophe consequences. “I have the pleasure to welcome you at such an important meeting and to acknowledge our partnership with Ukrainian authorities, district administrations and village authorities, communities, and international donors and partners. I would like to thank very much the Government of Japan and the Ambassador of Japan Mr. Mutsuo Mabuchi for supporting community and recovery projects. I’d like to stress that the recovery and development of Chernobyl affected territories is, definitely, a key priority of the United Nations. UNDP is a coordinating agency of the UN on Chernobyl and unites the efforts of UN partners to help recover and develop Chernobyl affected communities and territories.”

Deputy Minister of Emergencies of Ukraine Mr. Volodymyr Kholosha discussed Ukraine’s policy towards socio-economic recovery of Chernobyl affected territories and underlined the importance of cooperation between Ukraine and United Nations in mitigation of socio-economic consequences of Chernobyl catastrophe.

The representative of Sumy oblast state administration Mr. Olexandr Sitak, Head of economic department, presented “Legislative initiatives to stimulate the development of Pollissya territories in Ukraine” and the draft of a law on Polissya, the Northern part of Ukraine affected by Chernobyl catastrophe. The adoption of this law could stimulate the economic development in this Northern part of Ukraine.

The Forum’s participants focused also on tourism and recreation in Polissya and Volyn, localization of the local processing of mushrooms and berries (presenting the potential of Rokytne region), utilization of renewable energy sources in Chernobyl affected territories.

The Forum’s participants among otheres included: Deputy of Minister of Emergencies of Ukraine Mr. Volodymyr Kholosha, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine Ms. Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecka, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine Mr. Mutsuo Mabuchi, UNDP and World Bank Expert Jerzy Osiatyński (Poland), Director of the Institute for Regional Economic Development Zbigniew Zychowicz (Poland); UNDP Senior Programme Managers Mr. Oleksandr Shevtsov and Ms. Oksana Remiga, Head of UNDP-led Chornobyl recovery and Development Programme Mr. Pavlo Zamostyan, UN Private public partnership Officer in Ukraine Ms. Elena Panova, Mayor of Korosten Mr. Volodymyr Moskalenko, representatives of the diplomatic corps and UNDP Ukraine, Ms. Iryna Kobouta, Mr. Mykola Pugachov and Mr. Mykola Kobets represented the UNDP Blue Ribbon Commission Analytical and Advisory Center (BRC), Mr. Sergiy Shcherback, CRDP Environmental specialist.

The Chornobyl Economic Development Forum (ChEDF) was initiated by UNDP in 2005. The first meeting of the Forum took place on the 1st of November 2005 in Chernihiv. The second meeting was held on the 4th – 5th of October 2006 in Korosten (Zhytomyr oblast).
The UNDP-led Chornobyl Recovery and Development Programme works in 17 districts of 4 the most affected regions of Ukraine – Chernigiv, Kyiv, Rivne and Zhytomyr regions.

For further information contact:
Mykola Movchan, UNDP/CRDP, Phone: /044/ 253 07 08; 253 50 68; 253 51 77
Fax: /044/ 253 76 63; Е-mail: mykola.movchan@undp.org.ua