Issues related to the corporate governance of state-owned assets, as well as cooperation in the fields of privatization and public–private partnerships (PPP), were discussed during a meeting between Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Oleksii Sobolev and representatives of the French Development Agency (AFD), led by Mathieu Vasseur, AFD’s Regional Director for EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy.

The Minister highlighted the importance of the intergovernmental agreement signed on 17 November, which outlines priority projects in strategic sectors. According to him, this document will serve as a roadmap for further cooperation between the two countries in key areas – including energy, transport, agriculture, critical minerals, and innovation.

“We appreciate France’s continued intergovernmental cooperation and the launch of a new Grant Agreement to support critical projects, particularly those related to reconstruction and infrastructure recovery. French partners plan to allocate more than 70 million euros for this purpose in 2026. This is already the second phase of such cooperation, with the first successfully implemented this year,” noted Oleksii Sobolev.

The Ukrainian side briefed the French delegation on progress in the Government’s initiative to reboot the supervisory boards of state-owned companies in the energy sector, as well as on plans to further strengthen corporate governance. In particular, the process of renewing the supervisory boards of NNEGC “Energoatom” and NJSC “Naftogaz of Ukraine” is proceeding according to schedule. At the same time, the Government is working on strategic decisions aimed at improving oversight and transparency in the management of state-owned enterprises.

The French side expressed readiness to provide expert and technical assistance to Ukraine in advancing this work. As noted during the meeting, the French Treasury has already allocated a grant to Expertise France to support relevant activities.

The participants also discussed cooperation in privatization, including technical assistance and support in preparing assets for sale. The parties agreed to organize a roadshow for French companies to present the assets that Ukraine plans to put forward for privatization.

Another key topic was investment in Ukraine’s economy and cooperation in the area of public–private partnerships. The discussion included potential mechanisms, developed jointly with international partners, to help effectively prepare and implement PPP projects.