Ukraine and the Kingdom of Belgium have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of water protection and reproduction and rational use of water resources.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine on Friday, the document was signed by the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and the Ministry of Ecology.
It is noted that by this memorandum, the Belgian side confirms its readiness to transfer the research vessel Belgica to Ukraine free of charge. The 1984 vessel is in good condition and has unique built-in equipment such as high-precision echo sounders.
“The protection of marine ecosystems is included in the ecological block of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, according to which our state must carry out regular marine monitoring in accordance with European standards. Now Ukraine is implementing the provisions of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive to gradually achieve a good environmental status of the marine environment. Thanks to the Belgian side for such assistance, which will strengthen the environmental monitoring of the Black Sea,” Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Roman Abramovsky said.
In addition, it is reported that scientific monitoring of fish stocks, fundamental scientific research on the high seas, geological exploration of the seabed, and so on will be carried out independent of fisheries.
“The memorandum provides for the strengthening of cooperation between Ukrainian and Belgian scientists on the joint study of the Black Sea, in particular the problem of raising the level of hydrogen sulfide. At the same time, the Belgian side invites Ukrainian specialists to join research in the North Sea,” the ministry added.
They note that in the near future, with the financial support of the EU project “EU for Improving Environmental Monitoring in the Black Sea” (EU4EMBLAS), the vessel Belgica will go to Ukraine under the Ukrainian flag.
“And in the autumn, a comprehensive monitoring of our sea areas will begin on board this vessel,” the ministry said.
Belgium is removing entry restrictions previously imposed on Ukrainian citizens as part of countering the spread of COVID-19, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
“Belgium has opened up to all types of travel for Ukrainians according to the recommendation of the EU Council. The Foreign Ministry is working to increase travel opportunities this summer,” Kuleba wrote on his Twitter on Sunday.
The supervisory board of PJSC Ukrposhta at a first meeting held on December 14, 2018 elected Benoit Pleska (Belgium) head of the board. At the meeting the audit committee was created. Jakub Karnowski (Poland) was elected chair of the committee. Oksana Volchko was elected head of the committee for appointments and remuneration to managers of the company.
Oleksandr Ozeran headed the committee for digital transportation and Joona Saluveer (Estonia) headed the committee for postal logistics and parcels.
On October 10, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the supervisory board of PJSC Ukrposhta, consisting of five independent members and two representatives from the state.
Independent members are Pleska, Saluveer, Karnowski, Tommy Jensen (Denmark) and Volchko, while the representatives of the state are Ozeran (Director General of Directorate of State Policy in the sphere of digital infrastructure in transport and postal services of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Hyperloop Project Chief in Ukraine) and Yuriy Tustanovskyi (Head of the Executive Support Service of the First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine).
The professional recruiting company Amrop selected the independent members of the supervisory council.
The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority and Port of Antwerp International/APEC (Belgium) have signed a memorandum of understanding. The document provides for a detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Ukrainian seaports and further interaction in order to attract investment in their development. “Experts from Port Antwerp International will conduct a SWOT-analysis of the situation in Ukrainian seaports and will formulate a plan of partnership assistance in implementation of the development strategy of Ukrainian seaports,” Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority Head Raivis Veckagans said.
He said that trainings for specialists of the Ukrainian authority start this week in the areas of pricing for port services, work within the framework of port landlord model, concession project implementation, as well as the peculiarities of the interaction of environmental services in the port.
Managing director of Port of Antwerp International and the APEC Port Training Center Kristof Waterschoot said that the Black Sea region and, in particular, the seaports of Ukraine are now at the center of attention of international experts.
The Ukrainian authority also said that Port of Antwerp International is acting internationally, not only as a consultant, but also as an investor. In particular, the company invested $10 million in Porto do Aç (Brazil) in 2017 and more than $2 million in the port of San Pedro (West Africa) in 2016.
“Further cooperation with Ukrainian ports will also consider the possibility of Belgian and international experts participation in attracting investments and implementing projects on development of port infrastructure in the seaports of Ukraine,” the authority said.
