The PREPARE Grant Project (Preparing for Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine) is implemented with financial support from the World Bank. Its goal is to develop a portfolio of well-prepared, high-quality projects that can be quickly implemented once financing becomes available.
Among PREPARE’s priorities is the infrastructure project “Development of the M-15 Odesa–Reni (toward Bucharest) Highway.” To advance this initiative, a Cooperation Agreement was signed with the participation of Maryna Denysiuk, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.
Signatories:
· Serhii Sukhomlyn, Head of the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine,
· Niko Gachechyladze, Head of the Public-Private Partnership Agency,
· Andrii Donchenko, Head of the Service for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure in Odesa oblast.
This marks the official start of preparations for the implementation of a large-scale infrastructure project in southern Ukraine. The actual construction phase will require extensive preparation and significant resources; therefore, active construction can begin only after the war ends.
The reconstruction and new construction along the M-15 Odesa–Reni (toward Bucharest) route is one of Ukraine’s strategic national projects, critically important for the country’s security, economy, and European integration. The project covers more than 300 kilometers of roadway, including dozens of bridges, overpasses and bypasses.
The international M-15 highway connects Odesa with Reni on the border with Romania. It is a key transport corridor in southern Ukraine and part of the European route E87. The road has strategic importance for logistics, exports and foreign trade with the EU.
PREPARE structures project preparation step by step, according to technical complexity, logistical needs and the priority of specific sections.
The program provides resources and expertise for:
· preparing feasibility studies (FS),
· conducting strategic alternatives analysis,
· performing environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA), and
· developing investment justifications.
This approach helps avoid planning errors, optimize routing, reduce cost overrun risks, and ensure compliance with international standards.
Background information:
The five-year PREPARE Ukraine program, with a total budget of $200 million, was launched under an agreement signed between the Government of Ukraine and the World Bank during the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025. On September 27, the Agency for Restoration and the PPP Agency signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. PREPARE is a World Bank initiative aimed at preparing high-quality infrastructure projects in Ukraine. It helps public institutions develop investment portfolios, enhance management capacity, and facilitate access to international financing for the country’s recovery and reconstruction.