We invite you to read the twenty-first Ukraine Rebuilding Digest, an overview of the recovery news from the Ukraine Rebuilding Alliance for November 2024.
Government creates two groups to coordinate Ukraine’s recovery
The Government of Ukraine has announced the creation of a Recovery Task Force and an Advisory Group under the Recovery Agency to coordinate reconstruction projects through a single window of information exchange and transparency. These initiatives were presented at the international exhibition ReBuild Ukraine in Warsaw. The main areas of work include ensuring energy independence of communities, construction of social housing, restoration of critical infrastructure, and protection of energy facilities.
The Task Force will serve as a platform for discussing priorities and challenges, while the Advisory Group will focus on audits and recommendations to improve the Agency’s performance. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, such mechanisms will increase the confidence of international partners in the reconstruction process.
The Prime Minister invited partners to strengthen the direction of recovery
During the inaugural meeting of the Recovery Task Force within the Ukrainian Donor Platform, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized the importance of systematic and coordinated work for the successful implementation of Ukraine’s recovery projects. He proposed to establish an Operational Group to coordinate urgent needs and projects at the regional and sectoral levels, as well as an Advisory Group under the Recovery Agency to focus on the practical implementation of initiatives and transparent use of resources.
Denys Shmyhal emphasized the need for regular meetings with key stakeholders and strengthening cooperation at the regional level, noting the effectiveness of patronage over individual regions. Attention is also paid to the creation of international coalitions and coordination of their work through special representatives for recovery.
Special Representatives for the Restoration of Ukraine from 19 countries meet in Warsaw
On November 14, Special Representatives for Ukraine’s recovery from 19 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and others, as well as the EU, met in Warsaw as part of the EU-Ukraine Investment Conference. This is the first dialogue of this magnitude between the Government of Ukraine and international partners to coordinate priorities for recovery and economic growth. The participants discussed investment attraction, development of B2B contacts, trade, support for small and medium-sized businesses, and risk insurance for foreign and local investors.
First Deputy Minister of Economy Oleksiy Sobolev emphasized the progress in attracting investment, in particular through the introduction of mechanisms for SMEs and digital tools that promote business confidence. EU representatives emphasized the importance of companies that continue to operate in Ukraine as ambassadors for attracting investment. The Netherlands announced a new mechanism to support exporters, and the US Special Representative emphasized the link between defense and economic development, calling for investment in Ukraine even before the war ends.
What gives hope for the effectiveness of Ukraine’s post-war recovery
Ukrainians are increasingly realistic about the challenges and prospects of post-war recovery, as evidenced by two surveys presented on November 12 at the Ukraine Media Center by the Window of Recovery network. A sociological survey conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation showed that there is a growing awareness of personal responsibility for the reconstruction process: the share of respondents who believe in the key role of citizens has increased from 29.5% to 36.8%. At the same time, there is a growing awareness of the scale of obstacles, such as labor shortages due to migration, corruption, and lack of qualifications in the government. LetsData’s research, which covered more than two million publications, highlighted the main topics in the information space: infrastructure reconstruction, green energy, transparency of financing, and mental health. Although the media is positive about the resilience of Ukrainians, Telegram remains a platform for spreading hostile narratives about corruption and external control.
The growing interest in local stories about the aftermath of the war and recovery in communities is also creating a demand for quality journalism. Important findings include an emphasis on transparency, strategic vision, and trust in government programs, while financial opacity and uneven distribution of resources remain the main risks. Research emphasizes that citizen awareness and willingness to engage in reconstruction are key factors for effective reconstruction in Ukraine, and the Recovery Window media network contributes to shaping a narrative of responsibility and cooperation on the path to modernization.
Over 1500 years will be needed to restore damaged housing in Ukraine – Shulyak
Ukraine may need more than 1,500 years to restore damaged housing due to the current pace of funding, said Olena Shulyak, chairwoman of the Servant of the People party. According to her, the state budget for 2025 provides only UAH 4 billion for the eRestoration program, of which UAH 3 billion will be spent on housing certificates and UAH 1 billion on compensation for damaged property. At the same time, since May 2023, UAH 15.9 billion in compensation has already been paid, but this is significantly less than the UAH 6.3 trillion needed for recovery, according to World Bank estimates.
Direct losses from the war caused to Ukraine from February 2022 to the end of 2023 amounted to $152 billion. Shulyak emphasized that current funding is insufficient, comparing it to trying to fill a lake with a teaspoon. She called for more support to address the large-scale challenges after the war, noting the simplification of filing claims for damaged housing through Diia to the international Register of Damage.
The European Commission positively assessed Ukraine’s implementation of the Ukraine Plan
The European Commission has approved Ukraine’s implementation of all nine indicators of the Ukraine Facility’s Ukraine Plan for the third quarter of 2024. The reforms covered the fight against corruption, the business environment, the labor market, regional policy, energy, and environmental protection. This paves the way for the second tranche of EUR 4 billion, which requires final approval by the EU Council.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen praised Ukraine’s efforts on its way to the EU, while Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko emphasized the importance of reforms for economic sustainability and European integration. Under the Ukraine Facility, the state budget has already received €12.1 billion, and the next tranche is expected by the end of 2024.
