USA to Commit $14.5 Million for Ukraine to Issue Land Certificates

On October 31, government representatives of the US and Ukraine, Vice Premier Leonid Kozachenko and Director of USAID (United States Agency for International Development) mission in Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova Christopher Crowley signed a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Ukraine and the USA on the initiative to issue state certificates for the right to privately hold land in Ukraine. Under the memorandum, $14.5 million will be committed to reduce costs and simplify the procedure of issuing and registering the certificates and provide legal counseling to peasants. The aid program has been scheduled for 24 to 27 months. According to Interfax Ukraine, it is expected that during this period peasants will be issued 1.8 million land certificates. Mr. Kozachenko stressed that the US government aid “will help accelerate the processes envisioned by Ukraine’s new Land Code.” In his view, Ukraine needs a total of UAH 800 million to provide all landowners with land deeds. And this process could last three years. As Mr. Crowley put it, the US government does not attach any conditions to the financial aid “if only the program is successful.”