Minister announces initiative for reconstruction in Ukraine

Berlin (dpa) – The German Development Minister Svenja Schulze plans to use an international skilled workers initiative to support the reconstruction of Ukraine. Speaking in Berlin, Schulze said Ukraine needed doctors, psychologists, architects and roofers. “The reconstruction of Ukraine starts right now.”At a German-Ukrainian conference she announced plans to work with international organisations and other countries to develop an international skilled workers scheme. The SkillsAlliance for Ukraine initiative is expected to start at the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in Berlin on 11 and 12 June. 

Schulze said there was a particular need for people in the healthcare and construction sectors. In the energy sector 8,000 skilled workers had been trained since the start of the war. The minister stressed that “these are careers which are urgently needed for reconstruction.” The aim of SkillsAlliance for Ukraine is to train young people, women and internally displaced persons in sectors needed for reconstruction. However, the “training offensive” is also aimed at helping Ukrainian refugees, Schulze said, as they would get training while abroad.