Partners to support war-affected communities with nearly USD 200 million

The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, together with international partners, officially launched the second phase of the “Partnership for a Strong Ukraine” program.

At a special event dedicated to this event, the First Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, Aliona Shkrum, together with representatives of the Program’s financial partner countries – Canada, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – signed a Memorandum of Understanding to continue the program. The event was also addressed by Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Oleksii Riabykin.

“Partnership for a Strong Ukraine” is a multilateral donor program funded by the governments of Canada, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Its goal is to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience in the face of russian aggression by providing critical support to communities in cooperation with Ukrainian government agencies, civil society, the media and the private sector.

The second phase of the program provides for expanded financial support in the amount of over USD 190 million. It will last from 2024 to 2027.

“The restoration of Ukraine is based on partnership with our communities and international friends. We must act quickly but wisely to restore basic services, infrastructure and restore hope to the regions most affected by the war. This Program has already become extremely important for all Ukrainians, not least for internally displaced persons. Now we are launching the second phase. It is even larger and more ambitious. Most importantly, it will be useful for the implementation of those policies, those priorities that our Ministry currently has. First of all, this is assistance to internally displaced persons, reintegration of de-occupied territories, increasing the capacity of those regions and communities that are directly on the front line. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue the Program and expand cooperation within its framework. Of course, it is extremely important for us,” said Aliona Shkrum.

The second phase of the “Partnership for a Strong Ukraine” focuses on building resilience on several levels:

• Survival resilience: responding to the immediate needs of the most vulnerable, frontline communities, providing them with construction materials, emergency transport, and protective equipment for emergency services.
• Community resilience: ensuring the continuity of basic services and community cohesion through the restoration of schools, hospitals, water and energy infrastructure, as well as supporting inclusive local recovery planning.
• Society resilience: focusing on the future by supporting national unity and social cohesion, including through the reintegration of veterans and participation in the Bring Kids Back initiative of the President of Ukraine.

“The Partnership for a Strong Ukraine Program is about systemic, comprehensive restoration. And this approach is at the heart of our Ministry’s policies. We must plan recovery and development processes to meet the needs of all communities and provide conditions for their return to life. A strong Ukraine begins with unity. Our unity at the level of the entire country, regions, and individual communities is the foundation of future victory and current stability. I am grateful to international partners who continue to help us and support such important initiatives as this Program. Together, we can make Ukraine stronger and recovery effective,” emphasized Oleksii Riabykin.

The first phase of the program lasted from 2021 to 2024. Its budget was over USD 114 million. The priority regions under the Program are Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Chernihiv.

The first phase of the program implemented 577 projects in 127 communities. As a result, more than 2 million Ukrainians received assistance. They regained access to basic services: healthcare, education, electricity and clean water. The program helped restore hospitals, schools, cultural institutions and public spaces.