The European Commission and the World Bank have jointly developed an investment action plan for development of infrastructure in Eastern Partnership countries (Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova). Ukraine could receive EUR 850 million for financing investment projects involving improvement of railway infrastructure under this plan, the CFTS portal reports, citing the railwaygazette publication.
The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) is a Europe-wide network of roads, railway lines, inland waterways, maritime shipping routes, ports, airports, and railroad terminals. The European Commission determined the amount of investment needed to implement these projects in January 2019. The projects will require an estimated investment of almost EUR 13 billion and foresee a total of 4,800 kilometers of road and rail, 6 ports, and 11 logistics centers. Those projects will make possible the construction and rehabilitation of new and existing roads, rail, ports, airports as well as logistical centers and border crossing points.
Out of the total investment, the European Commission intends to allocate EUR 2 billion for railway-related projects. The priority investments include both short-term projects to be completed by 2020 and long-term projects aiming to improve transport links on the TEN-T by 2030.
Ukraine could receive EUR 850 million. The European Commission has agreed to provide funding for nine rail projects in Ukraine. They will involve railway upgrade, electrification, and capacity projects, including railway routes to its western border and north-south railway lines. The total length of Ukrainian railway lines that will be upgraded under the TEN-T project is 530 kilometers.
Azerbaijan could receive EUR 663 million for signaling, telecoms, and electrification on the east-west railway corridor.
Belarus could receive EUR 122 million for two projects involving a total of 200 kilometers of railway. They provide for modernization of electrification around Minsk (EUR 36.5 million) and electrification of the Zlobin–Kalinkavicy–Barbarov line (143 kilometers, EUR 82 million).
Two projects involving road and rail links to the Anaklia port in Georgia are also included. The projects will require EUR 349 million in of investment. The total length will be 90 kilometers.
Moldova could receive EUR 20 million in funding to improve its railway infrastructure. Information about the projects is not yet available.
As the CFTS portal reported, the 39 Ukrainian infrastructure projects that are stipulated in the Drive Ukraine 2030 strategy have been included in the Indicative trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Investment Action Plan and almost EUR 4.5 billion has been allocated for financing these projects.
