EBRD to allocate EUR 18 mln for transport infrastructure in Mariupol

A guarantee agreement and a memorandum of understanding on the Green Cities program between Mariupol City Council and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was signed at the EBRD’s office in Kyiv on May 7.

According to the press service of Mariupol City Council, the documents were signed by Mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boichenko and EBRD Deputy Head of Ukraine Marina Petrov.

“The guarantee agreement is a document that gives the opportunity to purchase 72 new trolley buses, to reconstruct the depot and the contact network in one of the central avenues of Mariupol. The acquisition of new transport is a part of the development strategy of the city’s transport infrastructure. The funds will be provided to the Mariupol Tram and Trolleybus Administration public utility. The total investment is EUR 18 mln, including EUR 15 million in loan and EUR 3 million in grants. According to the agreement, Mariupol City Council acts as a guarantor under the credit obligation of Mariupol Tram and Trolleybus Administration to the EBRD,” reads the report.

“For three years, the municipal park of Mariupol has been replenished with 113 units of transport. Comfortable trolley buses, trams and buses run in the streets of the city. Transport is one of the key problems that worries Mariupol residents. Therefore, our primary task is the development of transport infrastructure,” the city’s mayor stressed.

The Green Cities program provides assistance in the development of green city planning and infrastructure investments necessary to respond to challenges in the field of urban environmental infrastructure.

“The city of Mariupol is the 25th city that joins the Green Cities program,” Petrov noted.

According to the memorandum, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development together with the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives will develop the Green Cities Program methodology. The EBRD will search for grant funding to cover the cost of expert services and advice that will help Mariupol develop a Green City Action Plan.

In addition, Mariupol City Council and the EBRD will cooperate in the preparation, financing and implementation of at least one investment project. The first will be a project to upgrade the infrastructure of solid waste.