Thursday, 5 February 2026
An international policy study has found that Ukraine has built a wide network of institutions and partnerships to manage its post-war rebuilding, but warns that overlapping responsibilities, staff shortages and dispersed funding channels are slowing progress. The analysis estimates that the country will require hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade to restore damaged infrastructure, revive the economy and support communities affected by the conflict.
The study points out that since the escalation of the war in 2022, Ukrainian public bodies have continued to function under difficult conditions, maintaining essential services while also advancing administrative reforms. At the same time, foreign governments, development banks and international organisations have delivered large amounts of financial and technical assistance. According to the authors, the central challenge is no longer a lack of support but the difficulty of organising and directing it efficiently so that funds reach projects on the ground without delay.
One of the main concerns highlighted is the strain on the public administration. Many ministries and agencies have experienced frequent leadership changes and a steady loss of experienced staff, which has disrupted continuity and weakened long-term planning. In addition, several separate systems are used to monitor incoming aid and public investments, making it harder for authorities to gain a clear overall picture of available resources and spending priorities.
Local governments, which were granted greater independence through earlier decentralisation reforms, have played a significant role in emergency response and community-level recovery. However, the report notes that many regional and municipal administrations are now overstretched and lack qualified personnel. In some areas, the temporary presence of military authorities alongside civilian structures has added complexity to decision-making and blurred lines of responsibility.
The international support landscape is also described as crowded. Numerous donor platforms, working groups and bilateral initiatives exist simultaneously, reflecting strong global solidarity but sometimes leading to duplicated discussions and fragmented planning. The study suggests that better information sharing and clearer divisions of roles among partners would reduce administrative burdens and improve predictability for Ukrainian institutions.
To address these issues, the authors recommend establishing a central coordination unit at the highest level of government to bring together recovery priorities, oversee funding flows and serve as a single contact point for external partners. They also call for expanded training and recruitment efforts within the civil service, stronger digital tools to manage investment projects and greater engagement of Ukrainians living abroad as a source of skills, networks and investment. In the view of the study, these steps would help transform extensive international backing into more coherent and visible rebuilding results across the country.
Source: OECD
