Tony Blair Institute conducts a case study with UDS

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change is developing a new initiative aimed at exploring the effectiveness of financing mechanisms for demining agricultural land in Ukraine. This financial mechanism aims to attract investments for the restoration of agricultural lands damaged by mines and unexploded ordnance, thereby contributing to the humanitarian and economic recovery of the country.

The project is supported by Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. The initiative involves consultations with experts and stakeholders in the fields of demining, finance, and agriculture. The discussions aim to assess the potential of new innovative financing mechanisms for demining and optimize the use of available resources to improve the efficiency of the system.

A working meeting on this issue was held with representatives of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Harry Kirk and Daryna Goh, with the participation of Serhii Symonov, Commercial Director of UDS, and Oleksandr Romanyuk, Director of Economics at UDS.

During the three-hour discussion, the parties discussed the status and sources of funding for humanitarian demining services in Ukraine, as well as proposals to improve their efficiency and effectiveness in demining lands contaminated with unexploded ordnance. In addition, the UDS management emphasized the importance of the Tony Blair Institute's mission and noted that cooperation with international partners is critical to successfully addressing the mine threat in Ukraine.

Serhii Symonov, Commercial Director of UDS, noted an improvement in cooperation between foreign partners and EOD operators in Ukraine, particularly with the national EOD operator UDS, which has established itself as a professional and responsible operator and has all the necessary resources to perform a full cycle of demining work: from non-technical surveys to the destruction of munitions.

For reference: The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change is a British non-profit organization founded by former Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Institute provides advice to governments around the world on developing strategies, policies, and effective implementation of solutions.