Kovel, Volyn Oblast, 5 October 2026 – Residents, local authorities, civil society and businesses in the city of Kovel now have a shared home for sustainable innovation with the official launch of the Green Economy Hub, a collaborative initiative dedicated to forging a secure and energy-resilient future.

The initiative is part of the City Experiment Fund (CEF), a project supported by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The CEF brings cities together to reimagine their future and test innovative solutions. Focused on green and digital transitions, the project helps cities develop and implement holistic portfolios that address their challenges and drive sustainable transformation.

The Green Economy Hub will form a key element of the city’s sustainable transformation mission, which is aimed at achieving an objective formulated as “Secure and Sustainable Energy for Kovel.”

The hub will serve multiple functions to drive positive changes in the city. It will act as an information centre, a practical training facility, a communication platform for partnership events, and a demonstration zone for showcasing pilots of energy-efficient solutions. The hub will equip city residents, including homeowners’ association leaders (OSBBs), entrepreneurs, and public sector staff with the knowledge and skills needed to adopt energy-saving practices, reduce utility costs, and lessen environmental impacts.

During the official opening ceremony, Taras Yakovliev, First Deputy Mayor of Kovel, highlighted the hub's strategic importance for the city's long-term development. "This hub is a key element of the structure we’re setting up for the future to support both the digital and green transitions," Yakovliev said. "The support from the Government of the Slovak Republic and UNDP is vital for building a secure, sustainable and prosperous future for our city. We highly appreciate it."

Michaela Kukučková, Third Secretary for Development Cooperation at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic to Ukraine, reaffirmed the Slovak Republic's commitment to supporting Ukraine's sustainable development. "We’re proud to support the launch of the Green Economy Hub in Kovel through the City Experiment Fund," Kukučková noted. "This initiative is a practical step towards empowering the community to become more energy-independent and resilient, which is especially critical in the current context. We’re confident that it will inspire innovative green solutions that benefit both the economy and the environment."

Mustafa Sait-Ametov, Head of the Regional and Local Economic Development Programme at UNDP in Ukraine, emphasised the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration. "The Green Economy Hub in Kovel is a good example of how partnership can accelerate sustainable development from the ground up," he said. "By providing access to knowledge and a space for dialogue, this Hub will invite and empower citizens to contribute to building a greener and stronger local economy. UNDP remains committed to supporting such transformative initiatives across Ukraine."

Following the opening, attendees toured the new facility and visited a local lyceum, an example of effective energy modernisation where the next innovative solutions will be rolled out with support from the CEF initiative. 

The hub in Kovel is the second such hub established in Ukraine under the CEF project following the successful launch of the first such facility in Nizhyn, Chernihiv Oblast.

For media inquiries: 

Yuliia Samus, Head of Communications and Advocacy, UNDP in Ukraine 
yuliia.samus@undp.org