Governor of Ukraine's Kherson oblast visits Lincoln

Kherson Oblast and Lincolnshire have signed a memorandum of understanding to partnership on developing agricultural business and research between the two regions.

Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of Ukraine's Kherson Oblast province and his delegation came to Lincoln on Thursday 27 February, where the agreement was signed at the county council headquarters.

According to Lincolnshire County Council, “The Ukrainian Embassy has identified that Lincolnshire and the Kherson region have many similarities - both are largely rural regions with a strong farming and food production history, and a strong manufacturing base.”

Couny Councillor Colin Davie said, “it was the first step in establishing a new relationship to help rebuild the country. Today marks the start of a journey to develop a strong partnership with the Kherson region that will see us learn from each other, build networks over time between businesses, connect research organisations, and support growth in both areas.””

He continued, “This opens up economic opportunities and builds on our friendship with that region. Agriculture, energy, heavy manufacturing are in Lincolnshire in abundance and the Kherson region is very similar.“

On the subject of housing Ukranian refugees, Davie also added, “The UK and Ukraine have developed a positive relationship through the Homes For Ukraine programme and I am very proud that we have more than 1,000 people here in Lincolnshire under this scheme.”

The Ukranian delegation also visited the University of Lincoln's Riseholme campus, which is home to the Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology (LIAT), as well as the Siemens factory.

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