Ukraine receives $235M from Japan for education, business support

Ukraine's state budget has received $235 million in concessional financing from the Japanese government under new World Bank projects, the Finance Ministry reported.

Through the Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Enterprise (RISE) project, Ukraine secured a $130 million loan aimed at addressing critical barriers to the resilience, growth, and sustainable development of the private sector.

An additional $105 million was provided under the Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need (LEARN) project, which focuses on improving the education process during martial law by creating safe and comfortable conditions for educators and students.

Since February 2022, budget support from Japan via World Bank mechanisms has totaled approximately $6 billion, according to Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko.

"Financing under LEARN and RISE will help create the right conditions for the educational process and make the business support mechanism more effective amid a full-scale war," Marchenko said.

The projects are implemented using the Programme-for-Results (PforR) financing instrument, meaning the funds are disbursed as Ukraine meets specific criteria.

By the end of 2024, Ukraine expects to attract an additional $120 million and $95 million under RISE and LEARN, respectively.

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