The regional development geoinformation system (GIS) is not only a tool for assisting decision-makers in preparing for the reconstruction. It is also key for the civil society to keep an eye on the reconstruction process and hold the decision-makers to account. And it can contribute to attracting investments and ensuring reporting to international partners who will invest funds in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Therefore, such IT products must be transparent, accountable, and of high-quality.
This was emphasized by the head of the Integrity Cities component of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI), Taras Sluchyk, during the conference “Recovery and Development of Regions in Ukraine: Shared Vision”, which took place in Kyiv on 25 October, 2022.
This event brought together representatives of the government, local self-government, civil society organizations, and international partners. During the conference, a presentation of the concept and MVP of GIS for regional recovery and development took place. The system is being developed and implemented with the support of the EUACI. It will combine data on the destruction of municipal infrastructure and damage assessment, as well as on project management for the reconstruction of residential buildings, the socio-economic sphere, and utility services.
“We aim to bring the damage assessments and recovery process in good order by providing high-quality, structured, and up-to-date data. Thus, the Geoportal will become a tool for attracting investments, establishing procedures, and increasing the level of trust in local and national authorities," Taras Sluchyk said.
The following people also joined the discussion of damage assessment and IT solutions for the recovery of Ukraine: Deputy Ministers for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Ivan Lukerya and Oleksandr Dudchenko, MP Vitaly Bezgin, Mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkevych, Executive Director of the Association of Cities of Ukraine Oleksandr Slobozhan, Head of the KSE Institute Nataliya Shapoval, executive director of the Centre for Economic Strategy Hlib Vyshlinskyi, expert of the UN Development Program in Ukraine Sadig El Amin, and IT expert of the VzayemoDiya project of The Support to Anti-Corruption Champion Institutions (SACCI) program Oleksandr Ryzhenko.
"Since February, only for 41 days did the city of Mykolaiv not experience any bombardement. Therefore, the reconstruction of the Mykolaiv region does not only mean the restoration of a destroyed school, but a comprehensive analysis of the situation. Mykolaiv became the first city in Ukraine to implement the GIS module of damaged objects due to the support of EUACI and the Danish government. We will also definitely work on integrating the city system into the GIS of the Ministry of Regions", the mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkovych said.
During the discussion, Deputy Minister Ivan Lukerya presented the results of the World Bank and Ministry of Regions report Rapid Assessment of the Damage and Needs for the Recovery of Ukraine.
"The RDNA (Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment) results are the first independent assessment of damages and recovery needs. According to the Report, Ukraine needs 349 billion US dollars for reconstruction. It is important to mention that this estimate is tentative because the need for restoration grows daily with each new destruction," Ivan Lukerya noted.
The event was organized by the Agency for Effective Solutions in partnership with the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine and with the support of the EUACI, the SACCI program in Ukraine and UNDP Ukraine.