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UNDP has identified the most promising innovative approaches to financing demining in Ukraine. Among them are impact investments, front-loading mechanisms, blended finance, and the involvement of the private sector.

"Traditional donor funding is important, but it is not sufficient to meet the scale of Ukraine's needs. We need innovative financial instruments that can attract additional resources and ensure the sustainability of demining programmes," said the UNDP representative.

Impact investments involve attracting private capital into demining projects with a measurable social return. Investors can finance demining of agricultural land, receiving a return from the increase in the value of cleared land or from a share of agricultural proceeds.

The front-loading mechanism allows concentrating financial resources at the initial stage of work, when investments have the greatest effect. This is especially relevant for demining, where the rapid clearance of large areas creates conditions for economic recovery.

"Ukraine has a unique opportunity to become a pioneer in the use of innovative financial instruments in mine action. The country's high agricultural potential, transparent institutions, and strong international support create favourable conditions for launching pilot projects," noted the UNDP specialist.

Blended finance involves combining donor, state, and private funds, which allows for risk sharing and attracting more resources. The private sector can be involved through corporate social responsibility programmes, direct investment in demining-related projects, and participation in supply chains.

UNDP offered to develop and launch several pilot projects to test these innovative approaches in Ukraine. The results of the pilots will serve as the basis for scaling successful models.