Ministers and international partners agree to strengthen support for Ukraine's transport reconstruction

Ministers of Transport and representatives from 30 countries and international institutions agreed to boost international support for the reconstruction of Ukraine's transport infrastructure at the International Transport Forum (ITF) High-Level Dialogue for Ukraine meeting in Trakai, Lithuania. The international transport leaders discussed ways and means their respective countries and institutions plan to deploy in support of CIG4U, a Common Interest Group for transport in Ukraine. CIG4U, a  platform to support restoration of Ukraine’s transport network was launched in Kyiv in December 2023. The participants also stated their shared ambition to develop new logistics routes and strategic links with Ukraine.

"We aim to provide all possible support and assistance to Ukraine for the reconstruction of its transport sector, which is a key priority of the Lithuanian Presidency of the International Transport Forum. It is particularly encouraging to see CIG4U steadily grow and win over new partners and contributions. I am convinced that by working together, we, the international transport community, will substantially contribute to Ukraine ‘s transportation sector’s recovery," said Lithuania‘ Skuodis.

CIG4U, created by four ITF member countries – Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and Lithuania led-initiative, aims at enabling other ITF members and a broader international transport community to effectively exchange experience and information on Ukraine's transport immediate needs, in addition to contributing to longer-term projects for the reconstruction of Ukraine’s transport sector. The CIG4U platform is also actively providing Ukraine with analytical support in planning the development of its strategic infrastructure and future transport links.

The first batch of CIG4U projects in Ukraine are already underway, developing projects in the areas of road transportation and railways. As dozens of ITF member countries, international organisations and financial institutions have already expressed their interest in supporting Ukraine’s transport recovery, CIG4U will help channel their help in a coordinated manner. Several countries also announced their plans to support Ukraine at the event, some of them making concrete pledges to contribute to CIG4U projects.

Thanking for the Lithuanian initiative, ITF Secretary-General Young Tae Kim, said: “I am grateful to the Government of Lithuania, the ITF Presidency country, and Minister Marius Skuodis personally, for hosting the second ITF High-level Dialogue for Transport in Ukraine here in Trakai. In particular, I would like to thank the countries who have come here with concrete pledges to support the work of the Common Interest Group for Transport in Ukraine. At the ITF Summit in May in Leipzig we will hold a further Special Ministerial Roundtable on Ukraine to take stock of we have achieved and make plans how to fulfil the needs Ukraine has signalled.”

Following the meeting in Trakai, a joint statement by 24 countries highlights the need to increase international support to address the pressing needs of the Ukrainian transport system. The countries also stressed that CIG4U should act as a clearing house, coordinating the long-term efforts devoted to Ukraine’s transport infrastructure recovery and development.

The ITF High-Level Meeting in Trakai takes place on the eve of the Three Seas Initiative Summit and its Business Forum. Back-to-back events provide an opportunity to seek synergies between initiatives on regional and global connectivity, transport and logistics challenges and support to Ukraine.

The ITF is an OECD related intergovernmental organisation, currently comprised of 66 member countries. It is the only global forum that brings together transport policymakers, practitioners and analysts from around the world and covers all transport modes.

Lithuania is holding the ITF Presidency since May 2023.