Dear beneficiaries, partners and colleagues,

In 2019, Ukraine continued to experience dynamic changes, not least of which were the election of a new president by an overwhelming majority and a new Parliament, 80 percent of whose members are first-time legislators. USAID was proud to support our local and international partners to ensure that the elections were held in line with Ukraine’s international commitments, deploying thousands of election observers as well as parallel vote tabulation, exit polling, and public opinion polling to reduce the space for disinformation. We worked closely with the Central Election Commission to strengthen electoral cybersecurity and ensure that over 60,000 election commissioners were trained in their duties and, as a result, citizen confidence in the election results soared. As the year ended, the new Parliament approved a new electoral code that included many of the changes USAID’s partners had advocated for and which make Ukraine’s election system more democratic and inclusive.

USAID continued to partner with the Government of Ukraine (GOU) in developing and strengthening anti-corruption institutions. We supported the launch of the High Anti-Corruption Court including training 38 judges and 100 staff and vetting judicial candidates. USAID also provided assistance to an extensive process including international experts to select a new head of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, which was completed in January 2020, laying the foundation for this critical institution to fulfill its mandate.

In 2019, USAID also moved significantly forward to partner with communities in the regions of eastern and southern Ukraine with the goal of mitigating the impacts of Russia’s aggression and energizing a growth-oriented economic climate. The Mission began to vigorously implement two five-year activities in this region totaling $120 million. One is focused on making local government more responsive to residents’ needs while also encouraging local civic activism; the other on supporting economic recovery and development.

USAID is now coordinating efforts with Mariupol, a large industrial city in southeastern Ukraine, to promote the city’s economic development, placing special emphasis on supporting the growth of small and medium businesses, cultivating the city’s nascent IT sector, and fostering new partnerships with universities. In the neighboring city of Berdiansk, USAID supports the same objective by helping align city, business, and citizen interests, focusing on strengthening the hospitality industry and developing tourism.To promote investment in the region, USAID sponsored the Mariupol Investment Forum, which was kicked off by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and received considerable national and international media exposure. International businesses responded positively and quickly. On December 10, the Irish company Altostrata Energy Limited signed a memorandum of understanding with Mariupol to invest in photovoltaics, supporting the city’s efforts to develop its renewable energy sector.

USAID supported improved trust and confidence between citizens and the government through increased participation in community problem-solving; diversified citizen engagement with inclusive and democratic civic values; and more efficient, modern service delivery. In October, Mariupol opened the largest administrative service center (ASC) in the region, the Mariupol Multicenter, which is part of USAID’s ongoing effort to help Ukraine provide efficient and transparent government services at the local level. Located six kilometers from the non-government-controlled area (NGCA), the Multicenter services 1,200 citizens daily and provides easier access to Ukrainians living in the NGCA. As the year ended, USAID began work on three more ASCs at crossing points with Crimea in Kherson Oblast, which will serve Ukrainians living in Russia-occupied Crimea. USAID has opened more than 20 ASCs in eastern Ukraine over the last five years, increasing Ukraine’s self-reliance and citizens’ trust in the government’s ability to provide essential services.

Self-reliance also played a large role in USAID’s continuing support for Ukraine’s health reform efforts. USAID continued to help build and strengthen the capacity of several new Ministry of Health agencies, including the Center for Public Health, the Central Procurement Agency, which is responsible for procuring essential drugs, and the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU), which serves as the single purchaser of all health care services in the country. The NHSU reduced informal health care payments for patients, increased health care salaries, and created more transparent pricing in the health sector. USAID assistance enabled the NHSU to sign contracts with 99 percent of all primary health care providers and supported the development of the eHealth System Central Database. More than 7,000 pharmacies began using the NHSU’s e-prescription system, providing five million electronic e-prescriptions for Ukrainians, allowing more direct and efficient communication between doctors and pharmacies and reduced opportunities for falsification of prescriptions.

In 2019, USAID continued to support Ukraine’s battle with tuberculosis (TB). We helped improve the quality and availability of TB services by implementing effective TB infection control measures and strengthening the quality of laboratory diagnostics. We also introduced new treatment options for multi-drug-resistant (MDR)-TB patients, such as the life-saving drug bedaquiline, which cured 91 percent of the 2,900 MDR-TB-positive individuals who were treated.

USAID also continued to help develop agriculture and strengthen Ukraine’s rural sector. We provided support to increase the sustainability of small- and medium-sized agricultural enterprises by strengthening value chains through private sector engagement. USAID leveraged $800,000 in private sector resources in 15 joint projects that increased income opportunities for more than 184,000 farmers, made their businesses more sustainable, and also strengthened rural communities.

These are just a few examples of our support to Ukraine as the country moves forward with sustainable reforms that will advance self-reliance and the ability to address its own development challenges. It’s an exciting time in Ukraine, which continues along its Euro-Atlantic path. As Ukraine progresses on its journey to self-reliance, USAID will continue to support the Ukrainian people in their efforts to defeat corruption, strengthen the rule of law and democratic institutions, and build a prosperous economy.

Susan K. Fritz Mission Director