While Ukraine has laid essential foundations for managing reconstruction, the system remains fragmented and uneven in its implementation. Key risks include weak coordination, insufficient local and institutional capacity, incomplete transparency during the implementation phase, and the fact that the "Build Back Better" principle has not yet been fully realized in practice.
This was stated by Oleksandra Betliy, a leading expert at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting (IER), during the presentation of the independent analytical report Ukraine’s Reconstruction Architecture at the Civil Society Forum within the framework of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026.
This report, prepared by the RISE coalition, provides a comprehensive assessment of Ukraine's reconstruction system and proposes steps to increase its efficiency.
Progress in Reconstruction Architecture
The report notes significant progress in developing Ukraine's recovery framework:
- Implementation of public investment management reforms.
- Development of the DREAM digital ecosystem.
- Creation of new financing and public monitoring tools.
Key Challenges
Despite this progress, the system continues to face significant obstacles:
- Overloading of specific institutions and unclear distribution of powers.
- Shortage of human resources and managerial capacity at the local level.
- Fragmentation of donor funding and insufficient coordination among stakeholders.
- Limited civil society participation in decision-making.
- Lack of full implementation of the "Build Back Better" principle as a practical standard for reconstruction.
Beyond Physical Infrastructure
Furthermore, recovery should not be viewed solely as the rebuilding of physical infrastructure. Demographic losses, migration, and shortages of staff and human capital are already becoming key constraints for project implementation. Therefore, investments in housing, education, healthcare, childcare, and high-quality local services are just as critical as investments in roads, bridges, or energy.
The report was prepared with the support of EU4Reconstruction (Direction 1), a Team Europe initiative for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, funded by the European Union (EU), Denmark, Germany, France, and Lithuania.
