ERA supports the development of new critical infrastructure

Infrastructure restoration
09 August 2022

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) facilitated a meeting between ERA contractor Kharhiprotrans LLC and management and leading technical specialists of Ukrainian Railways (UR) subsidiary in Donetsk Oblast.

UR provided plans and diagrams of existing railways in Luhansk Oblast, as well as plans of railway stations in Bilokurakyne, Novoaidar, Rubizhne, Sievierodonetsk, Starobilsk and Svatove, Luhansk Oblast, and other technical information to begin work on the preparation of the feasibility study to connect the Kindrashivska- Nova–Lantrativka line to the national railway system. UR designers and technical specialists discussed possible options and pros and cons for the construction of the new railway branch. UR will hold an on-site meeting in Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast to clarify possibilities of building or expanding these railway stations in connection with construction of a new railway line.

Luhansk Oblast State Administration (LOSA) held a meeting in Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast with Kharhiprotrans LLC, relevant LOSA departments, and the leadership of cities and communities in Luhansk Oblast on the potential allocation or purchase of land for the future railway line, assistance with information and plans of cities, and the public hearings and public awareness aspects of the project. LOSA provided information on protected lands so that designers can minimize the project’s impact on the environment and began to form a list of landowners and tenants for each of the four options.

ERA promoted plans for citizen participation in public discussion of the project before a final option is chosen, in order to take into account the opinion of the population and public organizations and ensure public influence on an important project for the development of the whole area.

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ERA supports presentation of Mariupol 2030 strategy

Infrastructure Investment
23 December 2021

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) assisted in presenting Mariupol 2030 Strategy to citizens of Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast. The document, developed with the help of the best Ukrainian and foreign experts over 18 months, is purposed to create new opportunities.

USAID Democratic Governance East (DG East) and USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) have supported development of the strategy for two years. Ten working groups developed a plan of changes in the city in the following areas: Clean Environment, Culture and Sport, Economic Transformation, Education and Science, Technologies, Design of the City, Youth Creativity, Functionality, Healthcare and Image of the City.

“The Strategy of Mariupol city until 2030 is a detailed plan to develop the city for the next nine years. The previous strategy until 2021 aimed to ensure sustainability of the city, while the future strategy until 2030 aims to transform the city. From an economic point of view, this means diversification of the economy and development of new high-tech industries. In terms of perception of the city, we will transform the city from industrial to post-industrial. In our view, Mariupol 2030 is a city of youth; it is a city leader; a city where you can both work and relax and have fun; a city that will really be considered a center of culture, sports and tourism at the regional and national levels,” said Deputy Mayor Serhii Orlov.

 

“Mariupol 2030 Strategy is a vision of our future. It should be applied as a basis of future development. It is based on three main components: activators of economic development, municipal services, and comfort and quality of life. It is a great challenge for all of us to accomplish these tasks. However, I believe that we can build a city by the sea with an ocean of opportunities,” said Mayor Vadym Boichenko.

ERA grantees recognized as best community practices

Increasing Capabilities
23 December 2021

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) facilitated an awards ceremony for finalists in the Best Practices of Local Self-government in 2021 competition organized by the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine.

The competition committee selected 28 winning projects in three areas: Community Cohesion, Organization of the Health Care System at the Local Level in the Context of Health Care Reform, and Implementation of Strategic Development Projects. Six best practices were selected from Donetsk Oblast, two of which are supported by ERA.

Mariupol Business Development Center for Support of Small and Medium Business (SME Support Center) won in the nomination group “City Councils with a Population from 50,000 to 500,000 Citizens” for creation of a sustainable infrastructure system, as well as promotion and support of MSMEs.

The SME Support Center has worked since March 2020 providing business consulting and training services for startup entrepreneurs and helps raise money for development of small business in Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast. In 2021 the center received computers and furniture as a grant from ERA.

“Over the years of SME Support Center operation, more than 120 citizens of Mariupol were trained at the School of Entrepreneurship, and 300 citizens of the city received consulting services on startups or development of business. We are proud of receiving this award, and will continue to develop small business in Mariupol,” said Dmytro Dresviannikov, Executive Director of the SME Support Center.

Startup Center 1991 won second place in the same nomination group for creation of conditions for development and professional growth of youth, as well as implementation of innovative solutions.

Startup Center 1991 is the first IT incubator in eastern Ukraine. Social Boost public organization, in partnership with Mariupol City Council and ERA, coordinated to set up the center in 2019. Over two years of operation, the center has promoted 20 startups, 11 of which continue to work on their projects. The most promising projects have received UAH 300,000 in financial assistance. Two startups entered the market and today their capital is about UAH 2 million.

“The most important component of new project success is comprehensive support from the municipality. One of the key priorities of Mariupol City Council is digital transformation and development of the IT sector. That is why the city is creating the most favorable conditions for development of projects such as Startup Center 1991,” said Viktor Hurskyi, co-founder and CEO of Social Boost.

The teams of Startup Center 1991 and Social Boost have adopted a new format for working with technological projects. Startups are now residents of a venture studio, where they will work for a year on developing their own businesses, searching for investments, and scaling up products.

ERA develops Sea of Azov region export potential

Investment Acceleration
09 December 2021

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) together with Ivan Fedorov, Mayor of Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast presented the first Investment Directory of business profiles of Melitopol companies for international partners. The directory includes information about 22 companies in Melitopol; over time it will be updated with contacts from other manufacturers.

Melitopol was also visited by Joe Deacon, Director of Distag QSC Ltd., Ireland, which manufactures agricultural machinery and buys spare parts from various countries around the world. Deacon visited more than ten local producers to learn about their production facilities. This visit was organized by ERA and the Melitopol Development Agency through the FAME (Farm Machinery, Automotive Parts, and Machine Building Enterprises) initiative implemented by ERA to develop relevant companies in the region.

ERA collaborated with the Melitopol Development Agency to create a profile portfolio of Melitopol manufacturing companies while attracting potential buyers in Europe for specific parts and solutions.

The city of Melitopol was chosen to pilot this initiative due to its strong manufacturing heritage and base of industrial enterprises, as well as light engineering companies.

In 2022, ERA will focus on training and building the capacity of eastern Ukrainian enterprises to help manufacturers systematically improve their ability to respond to the needs of international customers. According to ERA experts, this could shorten the supply chain in Europe heavily affected by COVID-19 related crises and disruptions of goods and supply chains from Asia.