The third meeting of the Expanded Steering Committee on Planning, Long-Term Solutions and Community-Based Recovery took place with the participation of the team of the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, representatives of the World Bank and the UN delegation to Ukraine headed by Denise Brown.

The meeting was aimed at discussing a strategy for transition from humanitarian aid to support for community recovery. During the discussion, the first draft of the strategy was presented.

"Humanitarian aid remains extremely relevant for the frontline regions. At the same time, the transition to financing recovery needs is essential for the sustainable development and long-term well-being of affected communities. It provides a more sustainable approach, with a focus on rebuilding social infrastructure and promoting community self-reliance, and is a way to reduce the dependence of communities on external assistance. The proposed vision empowers communities by involving local governments in the decision-making process in determining recovery priorities, and stimulates economic recovery through job creation. We are grateful to the UN for its comprehensive humanitarian assistance and readiness to continue to actively contribute to the restoration of the regions and settlements affected by the armed aggression of the russian federation," commented the Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine, Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development.

In particular, the strategy aims to ensure:

• key principles and guidelines that would define the transition from humanitarian response to recovery;
• interrelationships between humanitarian and recovery needs assessments;
• balance between geographic and sectoral approaches to recovery;
• strong coordination of humanitarian assistance and recovery needs;
• rapid transfer of coordination mechanisms from humanitarian assistance to recovery needs.

The purpose of the Expanded Steering Committee's activities is to provide leadership, strategic guidance and oversight, and to facilitate effective coordination among key stakeholders to strengthen the linkages between humanitarian and recovery programs in Ukraine.