The Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity of the Federal Republic of Germany signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in Forestry.
The signing took place during the international exhibition Green Week (Grüne Woche) in Berlin.
The document is a continuation of the long-standing Ukrainian-German partnership in the field of sustainable forest management and is based on the Framework Agreement on Technical Cooperation between the governments of the two countries.
The aim of the agreements is to develop modern, environmentally balanced and economically efficient forestry that meets European standards and contributes to the conservation of natural resources.
“Forests are a strategic resource for Ukraine, both in terms of environmental safety and economic development. Cooperation with Germany gives us access to advanced European experience, innovative technologies and modern approaches to forest resource management. This agreement opens up new opportunities for the implementation of the National Forest Inventory, strengthening the climate resilience of the forest sector and bringing Ukrainian legislation closer to EU standards,” said Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Oleksiy Sobolev.
According to the Joint Declaration, the key areas of cooperation will be:
- development and implementation of forestry policies in line with European standards;
- support for the conduct and use of the results of the National Forest Inventory in Ukraine;
- measures to adapt the forestry sector to climate change and reduce the negative impact of climate risks;
- introduction of effective and environmentally safe technologies for the use of forest resources;
- improvement of the economic efficiency of forest management.
The parties agreed to exchange scientific and technical information, conduct joint training events, exchange specialists and implement joint projects.
A Coordination Council will be established to coordinate cooperation, which will determine priorities, agree on annual plans and facilitate the practical implementation of joint initiatives.
The German side will provide expert and technical support, including the involvement of international experts and funding for joint projects. Ukraine, for its part, will facilitate the organisation of work processes and the involvement of relevant specialists.
The signed Declaration of Intent is valid for five years with the possibility of further extension and is expected to be an important step in the modernisation of the Ukrainian forestry sector, its integration into the European space and the strengthening of the country’s environmental sustainability.
Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine
