On 5 July 2022, in Lugano, Switzerland, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, participated in the Economic Forum held as part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2022), and in the closing session of the conference, where the Lugano Declaration was made public.
In discussions with her colleagues, the Parliamentary Secretary emphasized that "rebuilding Ukraine cannot wait for the war to end; therefore, a common platform and clear principles are important now. We must help Ukraine restore critical infrastructure, schools and housing before winter comes.”
In close cooperation with Ukraine, the participants of the conference – 42 countries and five international organizations – agreed on the basic principles of the Ukrainian reconstruction process, known as the Lugano Declaration. It enshrines seven principles for rebuilding Ukraine: partnership, focused reforms, transparency, accountability and the rule of law, democratic engagement, engagement of stakeholders, gender equality and sustainability.
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica also met with Anna Bjerde, Vice President of the World Bank Group for Europe and Central Asia. Anna Bjerde expressed her gratitude for Latvia's contribution to the World Bank's support programs for Ukraine.
Latvia was one of the first donor countries that participated in co-financing the World Bank's loan to Ukraine, providing a grant contribution of 5 million euros to the World Bank's trust fund. Ukraine has since received the loan. In addition, Latvia has also provided financial assistance in the form of a state guarantee amounting to 10 million euros to support the social and employment sectors in Ukraine.
In a conversation with Vice Preseident Bjerde, the Parliamentary Secretary expressed appreciation for the World Bank’s quick response in providing necessary assistance to Ukraine.
"The government of Ukraine has clearly defined its urgent needs: additional armaments, financial support to carry out the basic functions of the state and preparing for the coming winter, which includes the restoration of critical infrastructure. The international community must be able to mobilize all the necessary resources to provide this support. In total, Latvia has already contributed more than 220 million euros to the cause, or approximately 0.75% of our GDP. We also continue to support Ukraine by implementing specific development cooperation projects," the Parliamentary Secretary stated.
The forum sought the most effective solutions for the involvement of businesspeople in reconstruction projects in Ukraine. The need to build cooperation between representatives of both the public and private sectors was also emphasized. The Prime Minister of Ukraine stated that at least 750 billion euros will be needed to restore the country’s infrastructure and economy.
The Ukraine Recovery Conference also covered the prospects of helping Ukraine export grain, including constructing additional infrastructure necessary for grain export. Russia continues its blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, thereby creating a global food crisis.