(in-person with possible online participation)
Time: 12:30 - 2 p.m. EET, Athens/Kyiv (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. CET - Geneva)
Background
The outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has caused unprecedented destruction and damage to infrastructure across cities, towns and villages. The war has also negatively affected Ukraine’s economy. To support local reconstruction efforts in cities and other human settlements, the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine elaborated a draft National Framework for Programmes for the Integrated Rehabilitation of Settlements and Territories; and decided to pilot test the draft National Framework initially in the city of Kharkiv (in April 2022) and further in the city of Mykolaiv (in July 2022). Since April 2022, at the request of the Ministry for Communities, Territories Development and Infrastructure of Ukraine, UNECE coordinates UN4Kharkiv and UN4Mykolaiv initiatives which support the preparation of blueprints for the reconstruction of these two cities in Ukraine. The UN4Kharkiv and UN4Mykolaiv initiatives include two pilot projects which link relief, rehabilitation and sustainable development through a series of activities that support the preparation of reconstruction master plans for Kharkiv and Mykolaiv. Since April 2022, the Norman Foster Foundation and international experts, in close collaboration with the city government, local architects and experts, have been developing the new Master Plan for the city of Kharkiv on a pro-bono basis. Since August 2022, One Works, a global architectural company, and its international experts have also been doing pro bono to develop the new Master Plan for the city of Mykolaiv. UNECE organizes on a regular basis thematic workshops, bringing together key international experts on priority topics identified by the two city governments for the master plans.
Implementation of the pilot city-level projects highlighted the importance of the engagement of the private sector in planning the reconstruction and of the use of innovative tools, including digital. This session will discuss experiences in engaging the private sector, including through PPPs and applying digital tools to planning of reconstruction of the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv in Ukraine.
The session discussed the following questions:
- How private sector engagement, including the PPPs, could be harnessed to ‘build back better’ the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, as part of the future implementation of the master plans?
- How digital tools and digitalization opportunities are used for the development of the master plans and meaningful stakeholder engagement in Kharkiv and Mykolaiv? What are the lessons learned, experiences and best practices?
Expected outcomes
A reflection on how digital tools and PPPs could be applied strategically in planning the reconstruction of cities, including in promoting stakeholder engagement and improving the social and economic situation in the cities.
The workshop is part of the 7th UNECE International Public-Private Partnership Forum. To view the full programme of the Forum, please visit https://unece.org/ppp/forum7.