The World Bank will soon provide Ukraine with a $100 million loan to help internally displaced persons (IDPs), World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe Arup Banerji has said.
He said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine that given the acute need for central budget financing, the World Bank is currently focusing on providing quick and immediate assistance, which, in turn, can help the population, especially the most vulnerable groups of the population. First, very soon we will allocate another $100 million to help internally displaced persons, he said.
Banerji added that the World Bank continues to provide assistance in the healthcare, infrastructure and energy sectors under existing projects.
We are also exploring opportunities for cooperation with other bilateral development partners (for example, Italy, Japan and the United States) who are very interested in attracting PEACE (Project Support to Public Expenditure to Sustainable Public Administration in Ukraine) loan and funding others types of confirmed budget expenditures, the World Bank regional director noted.
Specific items have not yet been agreed, but will certainly include additional payments to internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups in Ukraine, Arup Banerji added.
HELP, IDPS, LOAN, WORLD BANK
Germany will help Ukraine in demining, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock.
“We, like Germany, will help in demining to a greater extent. Because it is not only about military demining, where we will help you. It is also about demining in cities, villages, and doing it together so that people were able to return home,” Burbock said at a press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv on Tuesday.
Since the beginning of the war, Metinvest Mining and Metallurgical Group has allocated UAH 1.176 billion to solve social problems of people, as well as to help the military.
Starting February 24, the group has largely restructured its operations, according to a company press release. By the decision of shareholders Rinat Akhmetov and Vadim Novinsky, in addition to supporting the economic stability of Ukraine, the company threw all its efforts into helping Ukraine and Ukrainians.
At the same time, humanitarian support for the population in several key areas has become a 24/7 job for many Metinvest employees. Thus, together with DTEK (the SCM energy business), Metinvest became one of the founders of the Saving Lives humanitarian project. The work of the project is coordinated with the Rinat Akhmetov and Vadim Novinsky Foundations.
The main objective of the humanitarian initiative was the purchase and delivery of humanitarian goods, primarily food products, from Europe to Ukraine. In two months, about 30,000 people received assistance. Thanks to charitable contributions from almost 70 companies from around the world, 1,644 tonnes of food, essential goods, hygiene products and medicines were transferred to the affected areas.
In close cooperation with the Ministry of Health, a medical assistance program was launched in Zaporizhia, Kryvy Rih, Kamianske, Pokrovsk and Avdiyivka, which combines the purchase and transfer of thousands of sets of medicines, as well as the purchase of medical equipment for hospitals and outpatient clinics. The company also donated 150 tonnes of oxygen to COVID-19 patients.
The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine has published a collection of leaflets and publications on chemical security risks to help civilians take care of their safety in the conditions of ongoing hostilities.
“Military campaigns in such an industrialized country as Ukraine bear serious risks of incidents with the release of toxic chemicals, endangering people and the environment. Interruptions in work of enterprises, targeted or accidental hits of industrial facilities in the course of combat or as a result of air and rocket strikes – these factors increase chemical security risks immensely,” said Ambassador Henrik Villadsen, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
An assessment produced by Ukrainian State Emergency Service in 2018, mentioned that 655 facilities across the country stored more than 216,000 tons of dangerous chemicals. Research on the environmental impact of hostilities in Donbas, performed with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, highlighted severe chemical security concerns, as more than 500 major interruptions of work for enterprises in the eastern part of Ukraine were recorded between 2014 and 2017.
The awareness-raising materials include a leaflet, “Chemical Incidents. Leaflet on Risks and Safety Measures” that provides generalized guidance on safety measures related to accidents with toxic substances. Four other leaflets contain specific guidance for occasions of release or spills of most widespread chemicals – ammonia, mercury, chlorine and nitric acid. They also contain practical advice on administering medical assistance in such cases. In addition, the Co-ordinator is organizing a webinar for journalists to help them better understand the risks in this context.
The collection also contains publications, created specifically for the training of emergency response personnel, which will also be the basis for further production of awareness-raising materials and as a useful source of information for local authorities and other civilian services in planning measures in response to possible emergencies.
These materials, updated according to the recent developments, were developed by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator with the financial support of the European Union, United States of America, and Germany as one of the project’s activities aimed at enhancing chemical safety and security in Ukraine.
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Nova Poshta joined the UN World Food Programme (WFP), as part of cooperation, the company receives food from European countries, forms food packages from them and delivers them to settlements according to the UN vision, primarily to Ukraine’s hot spots.
As the Nova Poshta press service reported on Wednesday, the company provided its production facilities in western Ukraine for the needs of the UNHCR and the UN Refugee Agency.
It is noted that the UN is compiling a list of priority cities and towns, focusing on the places of hostilities and regions that are threatened with a humanitarian catastrophe.
As of the beginning of April (in one week of cooperation), Nova Poshta prepared and delivered about 25,000 food packages to Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions.
In addition, the company transported more than 420 tonnes of household goods from the UNHCR to the IDPs.
Until the end of this month, Nova Poshta plans to deliver about 300,000 more sets to Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
“According to statistics, more than 10 million of our citizens have already been forced to leave their homes, hundreds of thousands still remain in dangerous cities and in conditions close to a humanitarian catastrophe, and we cannot stand aside. Even at the beginning of the war, we began transporting humanitarian aid across country and from abroad. We are now joining the UN programme. We are doing everything possible to make life at least a little easier for the Ukrainians most affected by the war,” Oleksandr Bulba, CEO of Nova Poshta, is quoted as saying.
In the nearest plans of the company – to start cooperation with other international organizations to provide Ukrainians with universal assistance.
$4.6 billion (EUR4.1 billion) grants and $5.5 billion (EUR5 billion) loans following the Stand Up for Ukraine fundraising campaign will be used to support 4.4 million Ukrainian refugees in European countries and 6.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine, according to Global Citizen, one of the organizers of the action.
According to his press release, the European Commission – $1.1 billion, Canada – $80 million, Belgium – $904 million, Croatia – $111 million, Czech Republic – $222 million, Estonia – $0, in particular, announced their commitments and donations. 11 million, Finland – $778 million, Ireland – $58 million, Italy – $400 million, Malta – $0.06 million, Slovakia – $595 million, Sweden – $333 million, Qatar – $5 million.
In addition, the Development Bank of the Council of Europe made a statement on loans in the amount of $1.1 billion, and the European Investment Bank – in the amount of $4.4 billion (they still require the approval of the board of directors).
In addition, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development confirmed that it will allocate $1.1 billion of a previously announced $2.25 billion package on March 9 specifically for projects in crisis-hit municipalities, the report said.
In a statement from the European Commission, it was previously specified that out of EUR9.1 billion, EUR1.8 billion are intended for internally displaced persons in Ukraine, and EUR7.3 billion for the accommodation of refugees in EU member states and neighboring countries.
Global Citizen points out that the Stand Up for Ukraine fundraising event was organized in partnership with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with the participation of Polish President Andrzej Duda.
The release also states that companies such as Blue Bottle Coffee, Bridgewater Associates, Cisco, The Coca-Cola Company, Continental Development Corporation, Crush Music, CSL Behring, DocuSign, Farmamundi Foundation, Google, Nestlé, Nespresso have made new corporate commitments. , Twitter, Verizon, The Foundation at Sanofi, Seadream Family Foundation and Sun Life.
In addition, the event was supported by more than a hundred artists, athletes, lawyers and citizens from around the world: Adam Lambert, Aitana, Alec Benjamin, Alejandro Sanz, Alex Len, Alexandra Stan, Andy Cohen, Angélique Kidjo, Annie Lennox, Antytila , Arlo Parks, Ashlee Simpson Ross, Au/Ra, Barbra Streisand, Barenaked Ladies, Bastille, Becky Lynch, Billie Eilish, Billy Porter, Black Eyed Peas, Bobby Weir, Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Springsteen, Carole King, Celine Dion, Chris Isaak , Chris Tomlin, Connie Britton, Dave Matthews, Daymond John, Dead & Company, Drew McIntyre, Dwane Casey, Dylan Dunlap, Ellen DeGeneres, Ellie Goulding, Elton John and David Furnish.
They also include Evan Ross, Fall Out Boy, Finn Bälor, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, Gelila Assefa Puck, Gloria Steinem, Green Day, Herbert Grönemeyer, Hozier, Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness, Isha Sesay, Ivar and Erik, Jamala, Jenna Dewan, Jennifer Lopez, Jesse McCartney, Jewel, Jill Vedder, Jim Kyte, Johnny Orlando, Jon Bon Jovi, Jonas Brothers, Juanes, Julian Lennon, Kacey Musgraves, Katie Couric, Katy Perry, Kerry Washington, KD Lang, Lennon Stella, Leon Bridges, Lilly Singh, Liv Morgan, Lola Lennox, Luis Fonsi, Luke Steele, Madonna, MÅNESKIN, Megan Morant, Metallica.
Also on this list are Michael Bublé, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Miley Cyrus, Nicky Jam, Nigel Barker, Nikki A.S.H., Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nuno Bettencourt, ONEREPUBLIC, Oprah Winfrey, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Padma Lakshmi, Panic! At The Disco, Pearl Jam, Pharrell Williams, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rita Ora, Rufus Wainwright, Sarsa, Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, Shayna Baszler, Shinsuke Nakamura, SOFI TUKKER, Stevie Nicks, Sviatoslav “Svi ” Mykhailiuk, Tame Impala, Thalia, The Lumineers, Third Eye Blind, U2, Ukulele U, Usher, Vito Bambino, Weezer, Within Temptation, Young Leosia, Zucchero and 5 Seconds of Summer.
GRANTS, HELP, LOANS, STAND UP FOR UKRAINE, UKRAINIAN CITIZENS
