KYIV, 3 November 2023 — To strengthen community resilience and address the aftermath of the war, the Ministry for Restoration, backed by UNDP in Ukraine and funded by the Government of Japan, selected 10 territorial communities for a pilot project focused on local recovery planning.

Out of the more than 100 communities that applied for the project, 10 were selected as winners: Bilotserkivska, Bohodukhivska, Valkivska, Vyzhnytska, Kuialnytska, Novovolynska, Okhtyrska, Prylutska, Khmelivska, and Chernechchynska territorial communities. As part of the project, communities will receive professional support in developing recovery plans, conducting corruption risk assessments, strengthening the local government's ability to respond to crises, and more.

The presentation of the winning communities took place on 1 November in Kyiv at the Local Level Recovery Planning Forum, attended by over 200 people both offline and online.

“It is the communities that have a leadership role in the recovery process", said Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration, Minister of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov. "One of our main tasks is to help them to rebuild and become stronger, without waiting for victory. They will receive professional support in developing recovery plans, conducting corruption risk assessments, strengthening local authorities' capacity to respond to crises, etc. This was made possible thanks to the timely and important support of our international partners. Thank you to UNDP in Ukraine and the Japanese government for their support," said Oleksandr Kubrakov.

Jaco Cilliers, UNDP's Resident Representative in Ukraine, emphasized the significance of weaving territorial communities into the broader national recovery strategy.

"These communities are the backbone of Ukraine and frequently bear the brunt of war's repercussions. We aim to empower local governance structures, ensuring communities have the resources they need for a sustainable recovery. We deeply appreciate the Ministry for Restoration for initiating this project and are optimistic about its extensive expansion soon," said Jaco Cilliers.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine Matsuda Kuninori emphasized that Ukraine stands before a formidable task of not just reconstructing but adopting a 'build back better' approach. “The convergence of international support, unwavering government determination, and the proactive spirit of the communities has already set the stage for significant progress. To cultivate unwavering trust and uphold transparency, it is essential to weave anti-corruption strategies into the very fabric of the recovery plan. Such an approach guarantees that every endeavor is geared towards delivering tangible and meaningful results," stated Matsuda Kuninori."

The project's implementation is supported by the international auditing firm KPMG, backed by UNDP and funded by the Government of Japan.

For Media Inquiries:

Yuliia Samus, Head of Communications UNDP in Ukraine, yuliia.samus@undp.org