According to the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, Deputy Minister Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi held an online meeting with representatives of the Swedish-Ukrainian ‘Strengthening of Municipal Waste Management in Ukraine Programme’ (WM4U), the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SwEPA), and the EU4Green Recovery East Programme.

The meeting aimed to provide an overview of the areas of international technical support for the reform of the waste management system in Ukraine, as well as to coordinate further joint steps. For local governments, this is significant in terms of receiving practical assistance in addressing the pressing issues affecting communities.

During the discussion, international partners presented key support components directly relevant to the powers and needs of communities, in particular:

• development of national waste management policy;
• regional planning;
• introduction of a cluster approach, which allows communities to pool resources to create effective infrastructure;
• preparation of investment projects necessary to attract funding for the development of waste management facilities;
• strengthening institutional capacity and implementation of EU standards at the local level.

Special attention was paid to coordinating international aid and ensuring a systematic approach to reform implementation in the context of Ukraine’s European integration. This will help avoid duplication of efforts and focus resources on the specific needs of regions and communities.

‘Reform of the waste management sector is one of the key areas of environmental policy. We need not only to resolve the long-standing issues with landfills and waste management, but also to build a modern system that meets EU standards. Support from international partners significantly strengthens our capacity to implement these changes,’ said Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi.

The Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine emphasises the importance of international support for modernising the sector, particularly in addressing issues related to landfills, waste management, and the implementation of modern environmental solutions in line with EU legislation.

For reference

The Swedish-Ukrainian ‘Strengthening of Municipal Waste Management in Ukraine’ (WM4U) Programme aims to develop modern, systematic and environmentally responsible solutions in waste management at local, regional, and national levels. The Programme is funded by the Swedish Government through Sida and implemented by Avfall Sverige and SALAR International.