On 15-16 May, UNDP, with support from the Government of Sweden, organized the “Local Economic Development: Crisis Response, Recovery, and Sustainable Growth” interregional conference in Lviv. The event was held as part of the joint Swedish-Ukrainian “Empowered Partnership for Sustainable Recovery” project and served as a platform for dialogue between the oblasts already participating in the project and those that only recently joined, in particular:

• Zakarpattia
• Ivano-Frankivsk
• Lviv
• Rivne
• Chernihiv
• Sumy
• Odesa
• Mykolaiv

The conference programme covered the key topic of the sustainable socio-economic development of communities in times of war. Participants discussed practical approaches to restoring local economies despite high security risks. In particular, the presentations covered strategic approaches and examples of specific solutions that have already yielded results.

Particular attention was paid to implementing an inclusive and gender-responsive approach as a mandatory component of recovery policy. Participants discussed how considering the needs of women, veterans, displaced people, and other vulnerable groups in project planning strengthens community resilience and promotes their equal participation in economic life.

These topics – inclusion and support for businesses, women, youth, and IDPs – are among the key priorities of the new phase of the project, which will run from 2025 to 2026. It will also include training cycles on using local economic development tools, a grant programme, and disseminating best practices for localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

At the end of the event, during an interactive session, the participants compiled a list of the most significant problems and challenges in the areas they represent. They then generated ideas for future initiatives that will boost economic recovery in their communities.

The “Empowered Partnership for Sustainable Recovery” (EPSR) project is funded by the Government of Sweden, represented by the Swedish Development Agency (Sida), and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine.