Mariupol Reborn can be an example of rebuilding strong communities
Vision of the role of local self -government in the process of European integration, the way to restore strong territorial communities after the war and what role the reform of decentralization should play in this. The participants of the Buchan Forum "Reforms. Decentralization. European integration ”, organized on the initiative of the Committee on Organization of State Authorities, Local Self -Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Mariupol Mayor Vadim Boychenko participated in the panel dedicated to local self -government in the post -war period in the territories deocal. As part of Mariupol's project, the mayor of the occupied Mariupol told about the Fast Recovery Plan, an organization of rapid recovery.
It consists of various stages - from the Fast Action Plan to stabilise the situation immediately after the city is liberated from the occupiers to the construction of a new Mariupol with modern economic opportunities. These are long-term plans that will take 20 years to implement. For example, a preliminary estimate of the cost of restoring Mariupol after liberation from the enemy is $14.5 billion. Only the first stage of reconstruction will require 14,000 specialists from various fields. Already today, with the support of domestic and international partners, the team has generated 154 projects for the priority restoration of the city immediately after de-occupation. The key projects include restoring the housing stock, water and heat supply, restoring the waste disposal system, and creating conditions for the provision of basic social and administrative services.
Among other things, we need to understand that after the liberation of Mariupol from the enemy, we will face other challenges. Such as overcoming social conflicts and reconciliation within the community. Today the community is divided: 30% are abroad, 30% live in different parts of Ukraine, and another 30% remain under occupation. There is a large number of collaborators and a population that has been under the influence of russian propaganda for a year and a half. In addition, private housing and businesses have been seized by migrants who have moved to Mariupol. Today, we need to understand how to act properly after the city is de-occupied
To implement one of the most challenging tasks - the return of young people, especially from abroad, and the restoration of Mariupol's economic potential - a new economic model of the city needs to be developed. This requires rapid mobilisation of all sources of funding. Only by accumulating our strength is it possible to rebuild Mariupol in a quality manner and bring back people who are so eager to live in their Ukrainian city on the Azov Sea coast.
The Bucha Forum was held with the assistance and support of the USAID Project "Improved Local Government Performance and Accountability" (GOVERLA), the "U-LEAD with Europe" Programme, the Swiss-Ukrainian Project DECIDE - "Decentralisation for Democratic Education" and the Council of Europe Programme "Strengthening Good Democratic Governance and Resilience in Ukraine".
The Mariupol Reborn project is being implemented by the Mariupol City Council with the investment support of Rinat Akhmetov's SCM and international donors.
