From October 23 to October 31, 2024, the Director of NGO «Primavera», Olga Zhovtonog, was on a working visit to the Netherlands.
The program of the visit included a number of meetings and participation in the fourth International Forum on Sustainable Development 2024. The Forum was organized by the Association of Experts on Sustainable Development in Kyiv and The Hague on October 25, 2024. Partners and stakeholders of the Business and Finance Forum of Ukraine and the EU gathered for an open and practical discussion about what needs to be done for the green recovery of Ukraine.
In a report at the forum, Olga Zhovtonog highlighted the key challenges of the current water policy in Ukraine, focusing on reducing dependence on fossil fuels, issues of cost recovery in water resources management, and the need for real involvement of stakeholders in water resources management.
Furthermore, productive strategic discussions took place regarding the potential expansion of cooperation and exploration of collaboration projects in water and agriculture between Ukraine and the Netherlands. Representatives from private companies MetaMeta/GOPA, Bosman, the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), and Wageningen University and Research (WUR and Wageningen-MFC) actively explored possible cooperation opportunities.
Olga Zhovtonog briefed the Dutch partners on the Public Water Initiative of Ukraine and the necessity to develop the desired structure of Ukraine's water vision and water strategy with the assistance of Dutch experts and the engagement of Dutch Water Boards to support future reconstruction projects in Ukraine.
The Dutch and Ukrainian core team of the Primavera NGO deliberated on the organization's strategic development plans, the identification of project partners, and the allocation of tasks for their implementation. One of the short-term projects, commissioned by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), is set to commence in the Zakarpattia region this year.
