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December 22, 2023Ukraine stands on the brink of a massive reconstruction program, yet Western donors might be deterred by corruption and the risk of misusing funds allocated for war-torn recovery.
This information reported by BBC.
The first projects implemented in Bucha aim to showcase Ukrainians’ readiness for transparency in utilizing Western aid. It’s estimated that at least 245,000 buildings in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed. In February 2023, the World Bank estimated Ukraine’s reconstruction at $411 billion. However, more destruction has occurred since then.
“International donors have expressed concerns about the proper accountability of funds. The European Union has made combating corruption a central part of Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU. Ukraine ranked 116 out of 180 countries in the 2022 Corruption Perception Index conducted by Transparency International,” notes the BBC.
The reconstruction of Bucha, which faced extensive destruction at the onset of the invasion, aims to demonstrate that Ukraine can “rebuild better,” according to Ukraine’s State Agency for Reconstruction and Infrastructure Development. The stakes are high because international financing won’t flow if corruption is evident.
Before commencing Bucha’s reconstruction, the Agency developed new competitive bidding procedures. A team of investigative journalists at Bihus.Info has produced a series of sharp videos, leveling serious allegations regarding prior stages of reconstruction in Bucha and other nearby towns. However, local councils, not the Agency, handled the previous reconstruction efforts.
Taras Shafransky, the Secretary of the Bucha City Council, highlights that no violations were found by the State Audit Service, asserting that all work was of high quality. Yet, journalist Alexey Yarilchenko mentions that the exposé led to the dismissal of several officials in the region.
“Has it damaged our reputation among international donors? I’m certain it has. But we must show this and learn from it to prevent it from happening again. If we remain silent, we’ll become a totalitarian state,” he remarked.