Local and Regional Dimension

This side event brings together senior government officials, regional authorities, business leaders and international financial partners to discuss Ukraine's recovery through three interconnected dimensions: Partnership, EU Integration and Human Capital. Panel I explores how recovery projects can be aligned with EU integration processes, while Panel II examines human capital development and workforce investment as essential drivers of long-term recovery. The event is co-organised by the Business Ombudsman Council of Ukraine (BOC) and the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) within the framework of URC 2026.

The event will primarily bring together representatives of Governments, with a particular focus on the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine and other relevant public authorities involved in recovery and infrastructure development. The session is envisioned as a high-level, closed-door dialogue that will assess the different options and procurement models suitable for Ukraine to finance, plan, and implement recovery projects, creating an opportunity for a focused exchange of practical experiences and strategic perspectives.

This side event focuses on Ukraine’s transition from resilience to recovery through strengthening energy systems, developing human capital, and mobilizing investment. It brings together key stakeholders to discuss practical solutions for sustainable reconstruction and long-term energy security.

The event on the Concession of the Chornomorsk Ferry Terminal will bring together the Government of Ukraine, international financial institutions, and leading infrastructure investors to present one of Ukraine’s most strategic transport infrastructure opportunities. The event will showcase the investment opportunities, discuss the concession process, and facilitate direct dialogue with potential private partners. By mobilising international expertise and investment, the event aims to advance the modernisation of Ukraine’s logistics infrastructure and strengthen its integration into European transport corridors.

This high-level side event will showcase strategic, investment-ready recovery initiatives developed under the UN4UkrainianCities Initiative and beyond, with a particular focus on Kharkiv and other frontline municipalities. Participants will explore how cities affected by war can transition from emergency response to sustainable growth through the development of bankable projects in housing and critical infrastructure. Bringing together local and national authorities, international financial institutions, development partners, and the private sector, the event will foster dialogue on financing, partnerships, and practical solutions for Ukraine’s long-term recovery and resilience.

As Ukraine moves from emergency response toward long-term recovery and EU integration, democratic resilience and local governance are becoming essential pillars of sustainable reconstruction. The network of Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), coordinated by ALDA, represents a long-standing European cooperation mechanism embedded within Ukrainian communities and connected to municipalities, regions, and civil society actors across Europe. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the LDA network has supported local democratic governance, territorial partnerships, citizen participation, and community resilience.

With a view of supporting URC 2026’s investment agenda, the event will identify key financing bottlenecks at local level, showcase scalable financing solutions and look at strengthening the pipeline of bankable projects. The discussion will operationalise the investment focus by tackling the “last mile” challenge, creating a direct interface between local demand and international capital supply, and emphasizing the focus on net-zero and green solutions for sustainable urban recovery and development. The event is organised within the framework of the Horizon Europe SUN4Ukraine project, which is associating Ukrainian cities with the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission . Working hands-on with Ukrainian municipalities, the project provides dedicated technical assistance to help cities assess their investment needs, identify financing options, design bankable climate actions, and connect with funders and financiers.

The event will focus on how integrated recovery can be put into action through stronger cooperation between national, regional and local stakeholders, as well as international partners, technical actors and financial institutions. The discussion will explore how local recovery priorities can be connected to regional coordination, national frameworks, planning and investment tools, financing instruments and implementation pathways. It will also offer an opportunity to reflect on relevant Polish experience in regional development, infrastructure investment, support to municipalities and multi-level governance in the context of Ukraine’s European integration path.

Held on the eve of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, this informal reception will bring together conference participants for networking and dialogue in the spirit of solidarity and international cooperation. The programme will feature a moderated conversation between Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk and journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut. Hosted by the City of Gdańsk and PKO Bank Polski, the event aims to strengthen partnerships supporting Ukraine’s recovery and long-term resilience.

REBUILD GREEN 2030: Recovering the Future is an official URC2026 side event bringing together municipalities, businesses, investors, international organisations, universities, and experts to transform recovery challenges into implementable projects, partnerships, and investment opportunities.

The event will officially launch the second cycle of Rebuild Green 2030 (2026–2028) and engage participants in a foresight co-creation workshop applying the principles of the UN-Habitat Professionals Forum's Recovering the Future Framework. Participants will have the opportunity to explore Rebuild Green 2030 initiatives, connect with municipalities and international partners, and discover ways to contribute to and join future projects, partnerships, and the Rebuild Green Hackathon 2026.

Hosted at the iconic Olivia STAR in Gdańsk, the event will also provide networking opportunities during a coffee break overlooking the panoramic skyline of the Tricity region.

This side event highlights the regional partnership between Mecklenburg Vorpommern and Chernihiv Oblast as a practical model for local and regional cooperation in Ukraine’s recovery. It will explore how both regions can work together to use the established eco-securities MoorFutures® from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to protect, restore, and sustainably manage peatlands and other valuable natural areas in Ukraine, as part of a broader strategy for reconstruction and resilience. The discussion will focus on the ecological, climate-related and economic value of nature, and on how twinning partnerships can help mobilize knowledge, political support, technical expertise and financial resources for long-term restoration and protection efforts. It will also briefly address the security dimension, as intact wetlands and peatland landscapes can, in certain contexts, contribute to natural protection and territorial resilience alongside their climate, biodiversity and water-regulation functions. The session aims to show how regional cooperation can turn shared responsibility into concrete action for nature recovery, climate resilience and sustainable regional development.