Vienna and Kyiv: Agreement on Economic Cooperation – Austria
Kyiv and Vienna have signed a framework agreement on economic cooperation in the development of projects, including in the field of health care.
This was announced by Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister and economy minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, in a Facebook post, Ukraine’s Ukrinform news agency reported on Sunday. A corresponding agreement was signed by the Czech Economics Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Swyrydenko and Economics Minister Martin Kocher (ÖVP), as the Economics Ministry announced on Sunday evening. Based on this agreement, contracts can be awarded to a domestic company in Ukraine.
Agreement on economic cooperation between Vienna and Kyiv
Basically, the deal is long-term. Because of the war, there is an increased need to build health facilities. In the first step, three concrete projects – construction and equipment of the National Children’s Hospital Okhmatdyt in Kyiv, construction and equipment of a modern university clinic in Kyiv and construction of a national rehabilitation center of Ukraine in Lviv – are being carried out by Austrian companies (such as Vamed) with project costs in the amount of more than 600 million euros. The whole thing is financed by Austrian and German banks.
Aid Campaign “Neighbors in Need”
92.86 million euros were made available as part of the “Neighbors in Need” aid campaign. The money comes from donations and from the federal government. To date, Austrian aid organizations have been able to help many thousands of people, and projects worth 24 million euros are being implemented. With winter approaching, preparations for further measures are in full swing. It is currently important to make emergency shelters fit for the winter and to take advantage of repairs on destroyed buildings and important infrastructure – such as schools.
Doubling of donations for “Neighbors in Need”
Thanks to the doubling of the donations for “Neighbours in Need” by the federal government, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, this additional focus can be placed on “winterization”. The basis for these projects and programs is laid with the signing of a “Memorandum on Cooperation” between Caritas Ukraine and the Ministry for the Development of Communities and Territories in Ukraine. The framework agreement gives the go-ahead for the project. Possible circumstances are currently being investigated.
implementation during the autumn
The implementation is to take place in the course of autumn (1st selection round in mid-September, 2nd round in mid-October). “Minor & medium repairs” (partially destroyed houses that can still be repaired) are to be carried out by Ukrainian companies on behalf of the Ukrainian Ministry for the Development of Communities and Territories, such as repairing windows or roofs.
Kocher thanks the numerous donors
“Ukraine has now been at the mercy of the Russian war of aggression for over six months. As a suspended neutral country, we help Ukraine economically and civilly. Thanks to the signed framework agreements, Austrian companies can support Ukraine in reconstruction and humanitarian aid and the numerous donors of ‘Neighbours in Need’. This financial support will help ensure that thousands of people do not have to freeze in winter,” said Kocher Kocher.
In addition to Swyrydenko, Kocher will also meet the Ukrainian Minister of Health Viktor Liaschko, the Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Oleksiy Tschernyschow and the Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko on his joint working trip with Caritas Secretary General for International Programs, Andreas Knapp .
Framework agreement between Ukraine and Austria
“On September 4, the governments of Ukraine and Austria signed a framework agreement on economic cooperation in the development of projects. We are grateful to our Austrian partners for their willingness to actively participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine and to invest in its development. The signed document is another important step in deepening partnership and cooperation between our countries,” Svyrydenko posted on Facebook, according to Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.
Patronage was denied
The Ministry of Economic Affairs denied that Austria started an initiative to take over patronage of the Zaporizhia region, as claimed by the Ukrainian Minister of Economic Affairs. “This information is not correct,” it said in a broadcast.
Svyrydenko: Implementation of joint projects of Vienna and Kyiv
Swyrydenko clarified that the document envisages the implementation of a number of joint projects. Priorities include the construction and equipment of the Okhmatdyt National Children’s Hospital, a modern university hospital in Kyiv, and the establishment of a national rehabilitation center in Lviv. “I would like to thank the Austrian partners and personally the Austrian Minister of Labor and Economic Affairs Martin Kocher (ÖVP) for the financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as well as for the initiative to take over the patronage of the Zaporizhia region, which needs to be demined and rebuilt, pronounce it,” Swyrydenko continued.