This is reported by Kyiv24
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has implemented a new structure that, according to the head of the ministry Andrii Sybiha, meets modern challenges and best international standards. The order regarding the changes has been signed and is already in effect. The minister announced this on July 8, emphasizing that the reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is one of the priorities set by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Key Changes in the Structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Andrii Sybiha stressed that the new structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been created in accordance with the realities of war and is aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of Ukrainian diplomacy. Among the main innovations are the simplification of access to consular services, digitization and transformation of internal processes, youth engagement, and increased motivation for employees.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that after extensive preparatory work, we have resumed the practice of holding the Collegium, and at its first meeting, we approved the new structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. This is the structure of a modern, strong, and progressive foreign policy agency of a European state. But it is also the structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of a country at war. A country that is fighting for its life, freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”
- From now on, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will include the Department of International Security and Defense of Ukraine.
- A NATO Affairs Office has been established to strengthen Ukraine’s integration into the Alliance.
- The list of regional departments has been expanded: the first and second European departments have been created, along with departments for Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, and regional African organizations.
- The U.S. and Canada Office has been separated into an independent direction, separate from the Department of Latin America and the Caribbean.
- A functional distribution of deputy ministers has been implemented, with defined areas of responsibility, including European policy, international security, global issues, public diplomacy, and digitization.
- The special representative will remain solely for African issues, while the Middle East and North Africa will have a separate department.
Creation of the Department for Unfriendly Countries and Sanctions Policy
Among the innovations is the establishment of a separate Department for Unfriendly Countries, which will include Russia and its allies, including North Korea and Belarus. The main task of this unit will be to counter threats rather than focus on bilateral relations, prioritizing the neutralization of risks for Ukraine amid large-scale aggression.
A separate Central Asia Office will also be created to more effectively address issues in this region.
Another strategic step has been the formation of a sanctions policy office. According to the minister, this decision will consolidate work on sanctions, enhance coordination, analysis, and control of compliance with regimes, as well as enable rapid responses to attempts to circumvent sanctions.
The Department of Economic Diplomacy and Recovery of the Ministry will focus on attracting international support for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
There are also plans to create a department for global Ukrainianism and humanitarian cooperation, while the Department of International Law and Countering Aggression will work on holding Russia and its citizens accountable for war crimes.
Significant changes are also expected for the State Institution “Ukrainian Institute” and the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine named after H. Udovenko, which are planned to be transformed into a full-fledged higher education institution. Additionally, a Cyber Diplomacy Department and an Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Sector will be established within the Ministry.
Changes also include the abolition of code names for territorial departments and a shift to the European tradition of meaningful names that correspond to geographical regions.