Public Consultations with Stakeholders on the Implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) developed under the Ukraine Government PPF and the PREPARE Ukraine Project

On November 27-28, On November 27-28, the PPP Agency, together with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, organized a series of consultation events with representatives of the public, private, and civil sectors whose activities are related to Public Investment Management (PIM) and the preparation for the implementation of public investment projects.

The consultations focused on the presentation and professional discussion of the approaches of the “Preparation of Resilient Projects to Advance Recovery of Ukraine” (PREPARE Ukraine) Project regarding the management of environmental and social risks using the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), developed as part of the Ukraine Government PPF and the PREPARE Ukraine Project, implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank Group.

Engagement with the public and expert community is an ongoing, transparent process throughout the entire life cycle of the PREPARE Ukraine Project. Early engagement and interactive communication with all stakeholders is the basis for the successful implementation of the PREPARE Ukraine Project and for ensuring access to information and consideration of stakeholder feedback during the preparation of public investment projects selected by the Government (“Government Selected Investments”), which is being implemented under the Ukraine Government PPF.

The consultations were attended by over 60 representatives of central executive bodies – relevant ministries, state organizations and institutions – as well as leading consulting companies, and environmental civil society organizations.

The key goal of the event was not only to familiarize participants with the content of the document but also to clarify the strategic importance of adhering to international environmental and social standards for attracting funding for infrastructure reconstruction in Ukraine.

Representatives of the PPP Agency, together with the Technical Support Contractor (TSC) team of the PREPARE Ukraine Project – Ernst & Young LLC, presented the participants with the basic requirements for comprehensive E&S assessment of infrastructure public investment projects in accordance with the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and Environmental and Social Standards (ESS). These standards must be met by public investment projects selected by the Government (“Government Selected Investments”) and prepared under the Ukraine Government PPF with support of the PREPARE Ukraine Project.

Participants were introduced to the multi-level procedure for screening E&S risks and the available tools for minimizing negative impacts on the environment and communities, which are clearly outlined in the ESMF. Special attention was paid to stakeholder engagement policies, the roles, and the distribution of responsibilities among beneficiaries (“Project Owners”), the PREPARE Ukraine Project Implementing Agency (PPP Agency), and external consultants involved, all aimed at the shared goal of facilitating the preparation of high-quality, ready-to-implement and financing infrastructure projects.

During the interactive Q&A sessions, practical implementation challenges were raised, such as project realization in densely built-up areas or close to protected nature zones (specifically, the “100-meter buffer zone” rule), as well as questions about the practical application of the World Bank’s E&S standards (ESS) to highly complex infrastructure projects with potentially negative environmental impacts.

The necessity of strengthening the human resources capacity of beneficiary and the possibility of providing support, in particular training, as part of the PREPARE Ukraine Project, were also discussed.

Following the meetings, it was agreed that participants have one week to familiarize themselves in detail with the document and submit written proposals. 

All comments, questions, and proposals to be sent to the Project’s email address: ugppfes@gmail.com    

The deadline for submission is December 5, 2025.