From September 30 to October 1, the Southern Ukraine Forum “Government and Community” was held in Kyiv, dedicated to forming a shared vision for the transition of the southern regions of Ukraine (the Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions) from humanitarian response to sustainable recovery and development. The Forum became a platform for presenting successful examples of intersectoral cooperation between authorities, communities, business, security service providers, public initiatives, and international partners.
This is the third Forum launched by our Foundation in partnership with UNDP back in 2023, and is a logical continuation of previous years.
One hundred participants - representatives of military administrations, village, settlement, city councils, the State Emergency Service, the police, civil society organizations from the Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia regions and donors - spent two days summarizing the results of previous years and working together on future approaches to work, in accordance with the new Action Plan of the Government of Ukraine and the State Strategy for Regional Development of Ukraine for 2021–2027.
Delegations from the Stanislav, Bilozerka, Kherson, Chornobaivka, Kochubeivka, Vysokopillia, and Novovorontsovka communities represented the Kherson region.
Representatives of regional military administrations and the Ministry of Community and Territories Development of Ukraine attended the Forum. They noted that support for frontline territories, which are in the most challenging situation, remains under the constant control of the Government.
State programs and funds are directed to support frontline territories, in particular:
- construction and arrangement of protective structures (shelters);
- assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and citizens whose housing was damaged or destroyed (the "eRecovery" program);
- restoration of water supply systems and preparation of housing and social facilities for the autumn-winter period of 2025/2026.
In 2025, more than 90% (UAH 14.8 billion) of the UAH 16 billion additional subsidy to local governments was explicitly allocated, meaningfully benefiting frontline territories.
The insights panel discussions “Transition from humanitarian response to recovery and development: are regional specificities sufficiently taken into account”, “The Kherson region: recovery and development in frontline communities”, “Coordination of international support projects and information management for recovery and development” with the participation of regional and village military administrations were moderated by Yurii Antoshchuk, head of the “Union” Foundation, leader of the network of the Working Group on Public Safety and Recovery in the Kherson region.
Speakers from the Kherson region shared their experience of recovery and overcoming challenges in the frontline zone.
Deputy Head of the Main Department of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Kherson region, Kateryna Gavrylova, presented the experience of integrated approaches to crisis response in the Kherson region.
With the support of the UNDP and funding from the Government of Canada, the first Interactive Center for Mine and Fire Safety Training, Provision of First Aid, and CBRN Protection was established. With funding from Denmark, a Center for Psychological Relief for State Emergency Service Employees and a mobile emergency psychological assistance center for the population were established. In addition, with funding from the German Government, a learning space was created, fully equipped according to inclusion standards (with ramps, special markings, and an inclusive toilet).
Viacheslav Hrybko, Head of Public Relations for the Patrol Police Department in the Kherson Region, spoke about the “School Police Officer” project, which aims to create a safe educational environment, prevent offenses, and educate the population in frontline communities.
Zorie Ganiieva, Head of the Municipal Initiatives and Investments Department of the Chornobaivka Village Council, shared her experience in engaging and participating in the planning of the restoration of the Chornobaivka community and spoke about the initiatives supported by the UNDP.
Karyna Dobrovolska, Chief Project and Investment Specialist of the Novovorontsovka Village Council, shared her experience in attracting investments and grants for implementing various-sized projects within the community.
The Forum also discussed the strategic role of international partnerships.
For example, the European Investment Bank (EIB) is attracting EUR 100 million in loans to restore critical and social infrastructure, giving priority to areas where infrastructure has been damaged or where the number of IDPs has increased.
Representatives of the Embassies of Denmark and the Netherlands also spoke about the priority areas of support for the three southern regions of Ukraine.
Valeriia Vins, Government and Donor Engagement Manager at YouControl, presented a special YC.Market service for communities that provides comprehensive analytics. This module helps local governments, civic activists, and investors:
- Get analytics on the financial status of companies and entrepreneurs in the community.
- Analyze the transparency of community spending (public procurement).
- Work with debtors on tax debts, which is an essential source of funding for local budgets.
The Forum separately discussed human capital, including the involvement of veterans in the socio-economic life of communities and the reintegration of IDPs.
Finally, as part of a session on cooperation prospects, Tetiana Syla, UNDP Community Mobilization Specialist in Ukraine, presented the key priorities of the UNDP Regional Recovery Program for 2026-2028.
The main areas of UNDP work are: local governance, administrative services, rule of law/public safety, citizen/community engagement, veteran reintegration, youth engagement, social services, health services, and economic recovery.
Particular attention is paid to public participation, which is identified as a cross-cutting driver of sustainable recovery and development. The goal is to strengthen ecosystems and legal frameworks for public involvement at the community level. A key mechanism for this is the Working Group on Public Safety and Recovery, which serves as an entry point, using an integrated approach, dialogue, co-design, and transparency.
Overall, the III Southern Ukraine Forum emphasized the need for close intersectoral cooperation and alignment of state policies with long-term programs of international partners to ensure the resilience and recovery of the southern frontline regions.
The Forum was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, with financial support from the Government of Denmark. The opinions, recommendations, or conclusions expressed by the participants of the event belong solely to them and do not reflect the official position of UNDP, the UN, or the Government of Denmark.
📸 Photo: Andrii Krepkykh / UNDP in Ukraine
