Reconstruction of Ukraine needs strong local leadership, CoR president tells OECD

Local and regional authorities must be empowered to play a critical role in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions, said on 20 May.

Speaking at a conference in Warsaw organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) entitled 'Rebuilding Ukraine: Investment in the Future of Communities and Regions', President Tüttő expressed the hope that the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Rome will recognise the need to harness the experience and knowledge of local and regional authorities in Ukraine and will support the development of international partnerships at the local and regional level. 

President Tüttő will attend the URC in July on behalf of the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine, which the CoR co-founded and for which the CoR serves as a secretariat.

Speaking on a panel focused on co-ordinating short-term disaster reconstruction and long-term regional development, President Tüttő highlighted four central messages endorsed by the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine on 15 May. In a joint statement, the Alliance called for:  

• a continuous and comprehensive dialogue on the needs and interests of local and regional authorities (LRAs);  

• the formal involvement of LRAs in the Ukraine Donor Platform, in which international donors and Ukrainian authorities define, prioritise, and sequence strategic needs within the recovery process;  

• the creation of a 'one-stop shop' to strengthen international cooperation between municipalities and regions;   

• more focus on human capital 'for effective local recovery and community development'.  

The messages are principally directed at the governments, international organisations, financial institutions, businesses, regions, municipalities and civil society organisations that will attend the URC on 10-11 July in Rome.

Other members of the panel on short-term disaster reconstruction and long-term regional development were François Rebsamen, France's Minister for Territorial Planning and Decentralisation, Hendrik Terras, Estonia's Minister for Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Kyriacos Kakouris, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank.

On the sidelines of the conference, President Tüttő signed an updated memorandum of understanding between the CoR and the OECD on cooperation in the fields of public investment, multilevel governance and decentralisation, public-sector innovation, regional, urban and rural development, regional statistics, fiscal matters and sub-national finance.

Quote:  

• Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions: "Ukraine will need strong regions and cities to provide the basis for its economic and social recovery, to implement reform, and to bring Ukraine closer to meeting the standards set by the EU. Ukrainian cities and regions know best what their underlying needs and overriding challenges are. They are also best placed to develop a vision for the future of their communities. They are best placed to build back better." 

Contact:

Wioletta Wojewodska 

Tel: +32 473 843 986 

wioletta.wojewodska@cor.europa.eu