The Government of Ukraine and Mastercard, a global technology company in payments industry, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch the Digital Country Partnership program in Ukraine. The signing took place on November 12th, ahead of the Rebuild Ukraine Conference in Warsaw (Poland).

The Memorandum was signed by the Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Oleksii Sobolev and Country Manager of Mastercard in Ukraine and Moldova Inga Andreieva at the meeting with the participation of Chief Government Affairs and Policy Officer for Mastercard Tucker Foote.

This initiative aims to accelerate the country's digital agenda by leveraging Mastercard's expertise in payments innovation, digital infrastructure, and cybersecurity solutions.

“The partnership with Mastercard is a step towards building a modern, secure, and inclusive digital economy in Ukraine. We are implementing cutting-edge international technologies in financial services, electronic payments, and cybersecurity to ensure that the government, businesses, and citizens can operate within a shared digital environment. Such initiatives help enhance the efficiency of public services, expand access to financial tools, and open new opportunities for small business development and investment in Ukraine’s digital infrastructure,” emphasized Oleksii Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine.

“At Mastercard, we serve as a trusted partner for governments, bringing our global network, cutting-edge technologies and policy expertise to support countries on their digital transformation journey. We are proud to collaborate with the Government of Ukraine on solutions that will keep the country and its digital networks safe, secure and strong for citizens and business. Together, we will empower communities, unlock new opportunities for businesses and support the country’s economic growth, resilience and recovery,” said Tucker Foote, Chief Government Affairs and Policy Officer at Mastercard.

The collaboration between the Government of Ukraine and Mastercard will focus on four key pillars that will foster the growth of an inclusive and secure digital economy in Ukraine.

• Financial security and inclusion: development and scaling of unified digital solutions to streamline government disbursements; application of data analytics and AI-powered tools to support evidence-based decision-making in social policy and programs designing; support for small and medium-sized enterprises through dedicated solutions and initiatives that accelerate SMEs digital maturity.
• Travel and mobility: digital transformation of public transport by modernizing payment and ticketing systems, enhancing user experience, and improving accessibility; fostering of innovation and competitiveness within the tourism sector through data-driven decisions and modern digital tools to unlock country’s tourism potential.
• Digitalization and innovation: development of scalable digital solutions in cybersecurity, digital identity, and financial inclusion; design, testing, and deployment of AI-driven solutions; strengthening collaboration within GovTech, uplifting fintechs and supporting startup ecosystem growth.
• Cyber resilience and payment security: development of integrated approaches to mitigate evolving cyber threats through advanced digital risk management frameworks; safeguarding critical infrastructure and enhancement of resilience across digital ecosystems through multi-stakeholder cooperation.

The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a five-year framework for cooperation within the Digital Country Partnership program and foresees further definition of specific work streams across key areas involving both public and private sector participants.