Ukraine’s post-war recovery: Preventing failure and focusing on the people

How should Ukraine’s authorities approach the difficult task of rebuilding the country after Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked invasion? Despite the fact that the war is still ongoing, such discussions have already begun. We at Kyiv-based Adamant Capital aim to contribute to them by offering two insights:

First and foremost, Ukraine must avoid common pitfalls that have undermined reconstruction programs in the past. These are (1) poor strategic planning and coordination, (2) inadequate controls over spending and execution, and (3) the inability to carve a path for post-program sustainable growth.

Second, it is important to acknowledge that the recovery must be anchored to a long-term goal. Instead of just targeting economic development we propose to ultimately strive for something greater — an environment that motivates and enables Ukrainians to return home and remain here to fulfill their potential. To this end, we suggest expanding frameworks that target GDP per capita growth in three key areas: inclusion, institutions, and infrastructure. We call this the “3-I” people-centered watchlist.

For a complete discussion on these topics please take a look at our publication: “Ukraine’s post-war recovery: Preventing failure and focusing on the people”. A Ukrainian version is also available: “Післявоєнне відновлення України: як уникнути поширених невдач і зробити його людиноцентричним”. Feel free to comment and share!