Ambassador Formosa in Odessa: 37 million euros in new Italian initiatives announced

Ambassador Formosa in Odessa: 37 million euros in new Italian initiatives announced

(ANSA) - ROMA, 28 SET - Three days in Odessa to take stock of ongoing projects, launch new ones, and strengthen Italy’s commitment, which now exceeds 132 million euros for the city and the region: Carlo Formosa, Italy’s Ambassador to Ukraine, met with Governor Oleh Kiper and the city’s new authorities and participated, alongside Minister of Social Policies Denys Uliutin, in the Odessa Regional Recovery Forum, which brought together Ukrainian authorities, the United Nations, international partners, civil society, and the private sector to discuss reconstruction priorities and the conditions necessary for the region’s economic recovery. In his remarks, the Ambassador highlighted the strategic importance of Odessa and the Black Sea and outlined the vision underlying Italy’s commitment: not merely to repair what the war has destroyed, but to invest today in people, infrastructure, and the economy to lay the groundwork for Ukraine’s future growth. During the mission, 37 million euros in new initiatives for Odessa were announced: 30 million for a new Flagship Program dedicated to strengthening the regional healthcare system and 7 million for ROOTS, a new program developed with the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region to support agriculture and rural development in the area. On the energy front, the new Pilot Decarbonization Office was inaugurated in the city in collaboration with UNEP, and new tools and projects were presented to support Odessa’s energy transition and resilience. There was also a focus on rural development, with a visit to winemakers supported by the FAO program funded by Italy, and on the humanitarian emergency, with the announcement of new Italian contributions totaling 3.5 million euros to FAO and 1.5 million to UNHCR. “Rebuilding Odessa means much more than repairing what the war has destroyed. It means investing in people, protecting its identity, and laying the groundwork today so that, when peace comes, Odessa can return to growth and be one of the driving forces behind Ukraine’s recovery, with Italy by its side,” said Ambassador Formosa. Culture, health, energy, agriculture, humanitarian aid, and economic development: an integrated approach to guide Odessa from resilience to recovery and growth. Read article...