Help Ukrainians rebuilding Ukraine

Most international politicians and experts agree that foreign assistance efforts in Ukraine should primarily help strengthen the rebuilding and recovery capacity of local governments and local actors. But how? Currently in Ukraine, the national government is focused on the war itself, global mobilization of support and national level reconstruction. While local governments are trying to advance on immediate humanitarian assistance, recovery of their neigbhorhoods and cities, including of damaged infrastructure. As a result, the capacity to handle daily work has substantially decreased. Local communities show enormous promise for keeping Ukraine’s daily routines and government functions alive, yet the majority of international and private funding streams coming into the country support the military and humanitarian response. The local government capacity is still under development while facing important urban challenges. Ukrainian cities will not be able to lead the bottom-up recovery efforts without technical and financial support. If we agree Ukrainians should be in the lead? Who is part of this? How do we ensure a whole-of-society mobilization? How can the international community effectively engage with local actors? What kind of support is needed? How to ensure real partnerships in the reconstruction of Ukraine today? In this interactive session, experts from across the humanitarian, urban planning, and public affairs fields will present their views on collaboration and how to have Ukrainians in the lead. The panel will discuss the best ways for effective collaboration with Ukrainian partners. The session will end with a collaborative brainstorm of actionable steps to help transform Ukrainian cities for a better urban future.