The session, hosted by the UN Global Compact Ukraine with support from the UK’s FCDO, and supported by private sector such as GE Vernova and Sygenta Ukraine, brought together policymakers, business leaders and development actors to discuss how trust and transparency can unlock investment in Ukraine’s clean energy future. Drawing from experience in development cooperation, Serdiuk outlined several approaches that can help foster local trust in donor-funded energy projects, including early stakeholder engagement, open data platforms like Ukraine’s DREAM system, and co-designing projects with local authorities, private sector, education institutions and civil society.
During the presentation, Serdiuk also highlighted Swisscontact’s use of measurable impact indicators and participatory approaches in pilot clean energy activities, such as solar panel installations at EdUP’s partner VET schools. EdUP is a flagship program of Swisscontact in Ukraine, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the Ministry of Education and Science, in collaboration with Geberit and Sika.
At a related session, “Energy Education: the Path to Innovation”, Nadiia Petruschenko of SPP Development Ukraine praised the EdUP program, implemented by Swisscontact as a successful model of public-private collaboration. SPP Development Ukraine, a partner of EdUP program, was competitively selected to install rooftop solar systems at VET schools, and later expanded its role by offering contributions to practical training curriculum, now used in eight VET schools across Ukraine.
Similar collaborations reflect Swisscontact’s broader commitment to combining private sector expertise with development goals.
Ukraine Recovery Conference, held in Rome on 10-11 July, focused on investing in human capital, reforms, private sector mobilization, and local resilience for Ukraine’s long-term recovery.