On Monday, July 29, representatives of the UNDP and the EU visited Mykolaiv. The delegation was led by the Head of the Cooperation Section of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Stefan Schleuning, and the UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers.
The guests were welcomed by the Mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, the Head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitaliy Kim, and other city and regional leaders.
During the meeting, they discussed the opportunities and priorities for future cooperation. Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych informed the delegation about the current situation in Mykolaiv, highlighting the most pressing problems and challenges that the residents face daily.
The most urgent issues for the city include preparing for the heating season, especially considering possible power outages, the start of the new school year and the need to get children back to their desks, and the lack of centralized drinking water supply.
The Mayor also spoke about the interaction with international partners:
"Thanks to international initiatives and fruitful cooperation, the work on the Master Plan, which covers all aspects of citizens' lives, has been finalized. We strive to be an open city. That is why Mykolaiv became the first to implement a website for monitoring international aid. Everyone can see what we have received and where the aid has been implemented."
Mayor Sienkevych emphasized the importance of rebuilding Mykolaiv. It is crucial not to delay this process but to start working on it now and do everything better than it was before the full-scale invasion. The primary focus should be on bringing people back to the city and ensuring their comfortable living. Human resources are one of the most important factors, making this a top priority.
