On April 14 2023, the Consultative Board for Development Cooperation Policy held a meeting chaired by the Foreign Ministry’s Parliamentary Secretary Gunda Reire to discuss Latvia’s involvement in the reconstruction of the Chernihiv region in Ukraine.
At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Chernihiv Oblast was under military occupation by Russia. Russian forces gradually began seizing significant portions of the Chernihiv Oblast in an effort to capture Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.
Chernihiv, the oblast’s capital, remained unconquered. Russian forces fled the region on April 3, ending the occupation, although the war caused severe structural damage.
The Board members representing public authorities and civil society organisations also discussed the MFA proposal for the Cabinet Regulation on support from the Development Cooperation Agency to cooperation projects financed by international donors.
As Gunda Reire updated the Board on Latvia’s involvement in rebuilding Ukraine, she recalled that Latvia would contribute to the reconstruction of the Chernihiv region in line with the informational report approved by the Cabinet on September 2022.
For this purpose, EUR 5 million has been allocated to the budget for 2023. The Parliamentary Secretary underlined that Latvia’s involvement should be based on the needs of Ukraine; therefore, close cooperation will take place with the Chernihiv Regional Administration.
Its priorities include the reconstruction of housing, social infrastructure, business and energy infrastructure.
The Board members also exchanged views about the draft Cabinet Regulation developed under the leadership of the Foreign Ministry on support from the Central Finance and Contract Agency for development projects, thereby entrusting it with the functions of a Development Cooperation Agency.
The aim of the regulation is to facilitate participation of the Latvian development project promoters in international large-scale development cooperation projects. The Agency will support Latvia’s local and central government institutions and legal entities under private law.