On June 11-12, 2024, 15 communities, five Regional Military Administrations, and four associations participated in the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024 in Berlin. The key goal of the URC2024 was to mobilize continued international support for Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction, reform, and modernization. The participants had a unique opportunity to interact with global investors and present their recovery projects to government leaders from various countries, and representatives of international organizations, businesses, and civil society.

International technical assistance projects supported participants at this event. In particular, the USAID HOVERLA Activity assisted the Myrhorod and Dobrotvir communities, the Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration, and the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils. With this assistance, HOVERLA partners connected with over 100 entities and participated in several productive meetings to showcase their recovery projects.

The most pressing issue for the Dobrotvir community in Lviv is heating, as Russia continues to strike at energy facilities, including the Dobrotvir Thermal Power Plant .

Dobrotvir Mayor Taras Keleberda reported the key meetings he conducted at the URC.

“We sat down with a German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) representative to discuss the next steps in implementing alternative heating solutions in Dobrotvir. GIZ has committed to financing a feasibility study, which is a direct result of our previous work with this donor and was further galvanized at the URC. We also had productive meetings with representatives of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and manufacturers of energy equipment and turbine gas installations. I gave an interview to a leading international media, Deutsche Welle, and discussed our challenges.”

The Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration presented the 4.5.0 Recovery Center — the first regional project in Ukraine dedicated to rehabilitating military personnel. Construction, funded by both state and international resources, has already started and is expected to be completed within the next two years. Thus, the Berlin conference became a powerful platform for seeking new investors.

Taras Hayduk, head of the regional rehabilitation center project, gave an account of this in his meetings with potential supporters.

“Schneider Electric expressed strong interest and will contribute equipment at no cost to the 4.5.0 Recovery Center. Additionally, Rehau has committed to supplying windows for the center free of charge. Representatives from USAID and Zaha Hadid Architects are scheduled to review our project and explore potential collaboration and support. In addition, the president of the Italian organization RENOVUA invited us to a similar conference in Rome.”

On the other hand, the Myrhorod community from Poltava Oblast presented several projects, including hospital restorations, river cleanup, and waste management.

Natalia Molochko, deputy mayor of Myrhorod, outlined their engagements at the conference.

“We spoke with a representative from the Italian company 3TI Progetti, who expressed interest in preparing project documentation for our schools and kindergartens. We also connected with the Association of German Cities, which is keen on collaborating with Ukrainian cities, and we have already agreed to find potential partners for Myrhorod. In discussions with a representative from Genesy Capital, we explored the feasibility of installing sectional bridges and modular housing for IDPs, with potential funding from the German government. We understand that decisions are not made immediately at such conferences, but this is a chance to showcase our community, establish valuable contacts, and open new opportunities.”

The Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils seized the opportunity to inform the international community about the comprehensive recovery needs across all 24 regions of Ukraine.

“I am very satisfied with this conference; it was a great chance to engage with international partners. We had in-depth discussions with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce, which seeks to support recovery projects in the regions. We also spoke with Vasco Alves Cordeiro, president of the European Committee of the Regions about the committee plenary session and the need to address European representatives on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense. I believe we made the most of this opportunity and effectively demonstrated that Ukraine needs help.” said Tetiana Egorova-Lutsenko, President of the UAROR and Head of the Kharkiv Regional Council.

The USAID HOVERLA Activity supports Ukrainian communities and regions in their institutional development, enhancing their capacity and self-sufficiency, particularly in preparation for post-war recovery and EU accession.

Photos by Tetiana Kuzminchuk