Canada funding research to rebuild Ukraine’s infrastructure

The federal government has announced an investment of $300,000 to the International Transport Forum (ITF) under the Clean Transportation System – Research and Development program (CTS R&D).

This funding will help support research work by the ITF into the rebuilding of Ukraine’s transportation infrastructure and supply chains to make them greener, more sustainable and better connected.

This 18-month research project will assess the state of Ukraine’s freight transport sector and help to identify the obstacles standing in the way of a greener freight transport system in the war-torn country. It will also develop a sustainable transport plan to create green trade corridors to connect the country to international markets.

“We stand united with our allies in our support for Ukraine and working to end this unprovoked war. We will be there to help the people of Ukraine as they rebuild,” said transport minister Omar Alghabra.

“Today’s announcement will contribute to Ukraine’s goal of building back better, strengthening its connections to Europe and North America, and securing a sustainable future for its citizens.”

Reconstructing Ukraine’s transport sector will require unprecedented effort from all, including international partners, to ensure safe, sustainable supply chains and connectivity.

Transport ministers from several ITF member countries will be held on 29-30 March 2023 in Rzeszów-Jasionka, Poland. The theme of the conference is “Connecting Ukraine with Europe and the World: Rebuilding and Developing Sustainable Transport Infrastructure and Efficient Supply Chains”.

“The war in Ukraine is causing unimaginable human suffering. It is also bringing large-scale destruction of infrastructure,” said ITF Secretary-General Young Tae Kim.

“In our member country Ukraine, bombs destroy bridges, roads, rail lines and ports – valuable assets created to bring people together and enable mutually beneficial trade. This war does the opposite of what the transport community is working for. It must end quickly.

As we work towards that goal, we must at the same time look to the future after the conflict and think about how Ukraine can best rebuild, reconstruct and reconnect.”

The International Transport Forum at the OECD is an intergovernmental organization with 64 member countries. It acts as a think tank for transport policy and organizes the Annual Summit of transport ministers. ITF is the only global body that covers all transport modes. The ITF is administratively integrated with the OECD, yet politically autonomous.