The Central European Initiative (CEI) took part in the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2025), held in Rome on 10 and 11 July, strengthening its commitment to Ukraine’s recovery through active institutional participation and the launch of new initiatives.
During two intensive working days, Secretary General Franco Dal Mas reaffirmed the CEI’s approach in support of the country, promoting a sustainable, inclusive, and multi-level reconstruction process.
Day one started with the opening ceremony and the family photo with European and world leaders. Dal Mas met with the Italian Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Marko Đurić; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia, Gordan Grlić Radman; and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Josip Brkić. These exchanges confirmed the strong relations between the CEI Secretariat and its Member States, and reaffirmed the importance of the CEI in supporting Ukraine.
Dal Mas also met with the Ukrainian Minister of Culture and Information Policy, Mykola Tochytskyi, who expressed appreciation for the CEI’s political support and its efforts to protect cultural heritage.
Day two began with a meeting with the President of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso, which reaffirmed the 30-year cooperation between the CEI and the EBRD through the CEI Fund at the EBRD – financed by Italy – and their joint support for Ukraine, also in view of further funding opportunities in 2025, particularly in the field of energy security.
In this very setting, the Secretary General attended the signing of the “Ternopil Trolleybus” project, financed by the EBRD and supported by the CEI Fund at the EBRD through technical assistance.
“The CEI will continue to do its part for a tangible reconstruction that is close to the needs of the territories. The Ternopil project is an example of effective multilateral cooperation that responds to the real needs of local communities,” stated Dal Mas.
The day concluded with Dal Mas’ participation in the panel “Local and Regional Dimension: International Partnerships in Reconstruction – A Step Towards Europe”, dedicated to the role of local and regional authorities and the value of international partnerships. In his remarks, he underlined the CEI’s role through political dialogue, multilateral cooperation, and its project-oriented dimension.
