Page:Joint Statement by and Between The United States Departments of Commerce and etc.pdf/1

 In the face of Russia’s unjust and unprovoked war, and in recognition of the immense damage Ukraine has sustained, the United States Departments of Commerce and Transportation and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine today announce their intent to create a U.S.-Ukraine Infrastructure Task Force to help address both Ukraine’s immediate and longer-term reconstruction needs.

Building upon the September 2021 Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Department of Commerce and Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the May 2022 Memorandum of Cooperation between U.S. Department of Transportation and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, we intend to work together to strengthen the Government-to-Government relationship to facilitate the planning and design of infrastructure that is both resilient and sustainable.

Planning, Governance, Transparency: Reconstruction requires transparent and good practices for planning, financing, delivery, and maintenance. We plan to work together with the public and other stakeholders to prioritize projects that meet the needs of Ukrainian communities, to analyze standards and best practices needed to attract financing, to mitigate adverse impacts on the environment, and to monitor and maintain the utilization and condition of the infrastructure.

Resilience and Sustainability: Infrastructure undergirds every sector, in particular transportation. Rebuilding, implementing new technologies, and incorporating best practices are vital to Ukraine’s resilience and success in defending against Russia’s continued aggression. It is imperative to ensure the resiliency of the country’s critical infrastructure and to address short-term as well as long-term needs to provide services and support the country’s economy. We also anticipate that sustainability will be an important consideration in the near, medium, and long-term, including moving to net zero carbon emissions consistent with Ukraine’s national determined contribution to the Paris Agreement.