February 16, 2018, the presentation on the theme «Modernization of infrastructure facilities in Kherson and Skadovsk sea commercial ports and increasing the efficiency of their using» was held at the Embassy of Georgia to Ukraine in the context of the promotion of the transport route Klaipeda-Belarus-Kherson-Trabzon-Georgia-Baku.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine V. Dovgan, Head of Kherson Regional State Administration and Kherson City Mayor, heads of ports, representatives of Ukraine’s enterprises and organizations, diplomatic corps and representatives of international organizations.

Participants of the event acquainted with the current state and plans for the reconstruction and modernization of these ports in the context of the development of the transport route. It was noted that the presentation of this route was previously held in the Embassies of Lithuania and Turkey in Kyiv.

During the presentations, the advantages of these ports and the interest of international partners in participating in their reconstruction and modernization were noted. There was an exchange of views on possible plans and future forms of modernization, the need for improving the legislative and regulatory framework in Ukraine aimed at encouraging public-private partnership and attracting foreign capital.

The participants of the discussion emphasized the importance and urgency of this route for the economy of Kherson and the region especially in the context of the prospects for the development of new transport routes along the Great Silk Road.

In his speech, the Secretary General welcomed the initiative to create a new transport route and wished the partners success in implementing the project. For his part, he informed the participants about the priority of cooperation within the GUAM in the field of transport and, in this connection, told of the Meeting’s results of the Heads of Government of the GUAM Member States and the GUAM Business Forum devoted to this topic in March 2017 in Kyiv. The Secretary General also talked about the concrete measures being taken within the Organization to implement the GUAM Transport Corridor Concept. In particular, he drew the participants’ attention to the establishment of the GUAM Business Cooperation Association as a platform that unites commercial enterprises of the public and private sectors of the GUAM Member States interested in implementing projects and initiatives within the GUAM Transport Corridor and the GUAM Free Trade Area and invited everyone to cooperate.