Under the USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), ArtMetal Ukraine, a Dnipro-based company, has delivered 21 prefabricated buildings (prefabs) for installation at two key road border crossing points (BCPs) in Zakarpattia Oblast on Ukraine border. The commissioning of the prefabs is scheduled for February and early March. The modular buildings, or prefabs, are to be equipped with the necessary functional equipment. They will improve border control processes and speed up customs procedures, and potentially reduce waiting times at the borders between Ukraine, Hungary, and Slovakia. 

At the same time, the sanitary modules previously delivered to the BCP on the border with Romania are successfully connected and ready for use. One of the modules is inclusive, with a ramp providing unimpeded access for people with disabilities. Each sanitary module is equipped with the necessary set of sanitary equipment. 

The modernization of BCPs contributes to creating a more accessible and comfortable environment for all categories of people crossing the border and enhances Ukraine’s ability to operate its border crossings effectively, which stimulates the local economy by ensuring the export of Ukrainian goods to international markets. 

Background: Between 2023-2026, USAID, through the Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), is dedicating $115 million to support the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), Ukrainian Railways (UZ), and State Customs Services, to upgrade border crossing points (BCPs) to improve grain trade and export volumes. 

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA) has supplied five one-ton commodity scales to three of Ukraine’s priority road border crossing points (BCPs). The Starokozache/Tudora BCP received one scale, while two scales each were delivered to the Rava-Ruska/Hrebenne, and Chop – Zahony BCPs. The scales, produced by a Ukrainian manufacturer, feature the full range of functionalities required by the State Customs Service of Ukraine. This include  capacity for the required tonnage, number of weighings per day, photo quality, and data storage, which are all crucial for fast and efficient customs declaration at the border crossings.  

This assistance is part of USAID ERA’s ongoing support to modernize priority BCPs between Ukraine and Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Poland. This initiative aims to increase efficiency, improve accessibility, and enhance the logistical potential of key BCPs for the export of Ukrainian goods, especially grain, whose export is vital for Ukraine’s economy and global food security. 

Background: Between 2023-2026, USAID, through the Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), is dedicating $115 million to support the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), Ukrainian Railways (UZ), and State Customs Services, to upgrade border crossing points (BCPs) to improve grain trade and export volumes. 

Miyamoto Ukraine, a subcontractor of the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA), has started pre-design work and preliminary studies aimed at designing the expansion of the Diakivtsi – Racovăţ and Krasnoilsk – Vicovu de Sus road border crossing points (BCPs) located on the Ukrainian-Romanian border. 

During the technical visit to the BCP site, the Miyamoto Ukraine team met with representatives of the State Agency of Ukraine for the Restoration and Development of Infrastructure (SARDI) and the State Customs Service. The engineers compared the available design documents with the actual constructed facilities and checked the compliance of the planned work with the requirements of the legislation and construction standards in Ukraine. The planned expansion of the checkpoint will increase the throughput capacity for freight transport, which, in turn, will positively impact the flow of Ukrainian grain export through Romania. 

Natalia Chukanova, Chief Engineer at Miyamoto International Ukraine said, “In January, our team visited two border crossing points, Dyakivtsi – Rakovets and Krasnoilsk – Vicovia de Sus. During the working visit, we got acquainted with the facilities, inspected the territory and existing buildings and structures of the BCPs to clarify the scope of work required, and took photos of the current state of the facilities. We discussed the issues and possible solutions in advance. During the meeting, we talked to Customs officials about the technological process. We gathered all the necessary information for further implementation of the modernization of the state border crossing points of Ukraine.

She noted further, “The Miyamoto Ukraine team, which includes civil engineers, building inspection specialists and architects, is implementing all the planned work to modernize the BCPs and increase their capacity according to the planned schedule.”

In February, Miyamoto Ukraine engineers are scheduled visit two railway and one road BCPs in Zakarpattia and Lviv Oblasts to conduct a detailed inspection of the technical condition of the existing infrastructure and facilities and determine the scope of work required for their modernization and improvement.  

Mustafa Nayyem, Head of the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine noted, “29 BCPs on the western and southern borders of Ukraine have been transferred to the management of the State Agency for Reconstruction. Our task is to modernize these checkpoints and increase their capacity. I am grateful to our partners USAID and Miyamoto for their assistance on this important project.”  

Background: Between 2023-2026, USAID, through the Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), is dedicating $115 million to support the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), Ukrainian Railways (UZ), and State Customs Services, to upgrade border crossing points (BCPs) to improve grain trade and export volumes. 

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) has delivered three 50-kW diesel generators to the Chop – Záhony, Vadul-Siret – Vicșani, and Mostyska – Medyka rail border crossing points (BCPs) operated by Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ).  

Equipped with automatic voltage regulators, the generators will ensure a constant and stable power supply for the checkpoints, which serve as strategic export routes to Poland, Hungary and Romania, especially during the cold winter months. The generators will strengthen UZ’s logistics infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted operation to facilitate increased cargo turnover, grain export and passenger traffic at the rail BCPs.  

USAID ERA is working to modernize border crossing points to improve operational efficiency and cargo transportation logistics, and increase trade, grain export, and traffic flows in general. 

Background: Between 2023-2026, USAID, through the Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), is dedicating $115 million to support the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), Ukrainian Railways (UZ), and State Customs Services, to upgrade border crossing points (BCPs) to improve grain trade and export volumes.  

 Artmetal Ukraine, a Dnipro-based company, under contract from the USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), has completed the installation of the first two of 10 modular buildings at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk road border crossing point (BCP) to be used as offices for Border Guard and Customs. 

From January 24 to 29, Artmetal Ukraine also delivered four modular buildings to be installed as restrooms for Yahodyn-Dorohusk and two for Porubne-Siret BCPs. The necessary power supply and other utility connections for all the prefabricated buildings will be done by the end of February to enable the facilities to become fully functional.The installation of the modular buildings will improve the working conditions of Customs and Border Guard and make it more comfortable for people crossing the Ukrainian-Polish and Ukrainian-Romanian borders. 

“I thank our partners from USAID for their systematic support of Ukraine’s modernization, in particular in strengthening Ukraine’s export capacity. The development of border crossing points will allow us to optimize their operation and, accordingly, increase trade turnover,” commented Oleksandr Kubrakov, Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine, Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine.

These facilities are the first of 33 units that will improve the operational efficiency of four key border crossing points on Ukraine’s western border: “Yahodyn-Dorohusk, Porubne-Siret, Luzhanka-Beregsurány, and Uzhhorod-Vyšné Nemecké, which are critical infrastructure facilities for Ukrainian grain exports. 

“The Reconstruction Agency is taking over 29 checkpoints, 23 have already been transferred to the Agency’s management, and repair work has begun at 11. Our task is to improve export logistics. We are grateful to USAID for its consistent systemic support of the Reconstruction Agency and participation in the development of the checkpoints,” said Mustafa Nayem, Head of the State Agency for Reconstruction and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.

As a leading grain exporter, Ukraine will benefit greatly from the optimization of its transportation systems through USAID’s major improvements at these two checkpoints. This modernization will ensure that Ukrainian grain can reach world markets faster and more efficiently, strengthening the local economy while contributing significantly to global food security. 

Background: Between 2023-2026, USAID, through the Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), is dedicating $115 million to support the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), Ukrainian Railways (UZ), and State Customs Services, to upgrade border crossing points (BCPs) to improve grain trade and export volumes.