The Board of Directors of the World Bank on the night of March 29 confirmed a new support package called “Creation of sustainable infrastructure in a vulnerable environment in Ukraine (DRIVE)” in the amount of $432 million. Its aim is to support the government in strengthening the national road network and improving the efficiency of the transport sector.
The DRIVE project complements the existing “Restoration of the main logistics infrastructure and connection to the network (RELINC)”, within which modular bridges were delivered and 200 platform cars were manufactured to increase the cargo and export capabilities of Ukrzaliznytsia.
The bank notes that since the beginning of the full-scale war in February 2022, the transport infrastructure of Ukraine has suffered serious destruction, which has disrupted critically important import and export routes. According to the latest Rapid Damage and Recovery Needs Assessment (RDNA4), road infrastructure was the most affected, with 58% of the transport sector damaged, including 30% of state roads and bridges, 11% of local roads and bridges, and 17% of municipal roads.
Financing of the DRIVE project includes a $212 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) within the ADVANCE Ukraine Trust Fund, supported by the Japanese government. Additionally, $210 million was allocated in the form of a loan from the Special Program for the Reconstruction of Ukraine and Moldova (SPUR) and a $10 million grant from the Target Fund for Support, Restoration, Reconstruction and Reform of Ukraine (URTF).
The implementation of the project will be carried out by the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine.
