Ahead of the presentation of the fifth Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA5), representatives of the World Bank and Ukrainian Government have had a working meeting. The document has been prepared jointly with the European Commission and the United Nations. It forms an updated, internationally verified vision of the scale of destruction, financial needs, and reconstruction priorities for the country. According to estimates by Ukrainian and international experts, the amount of losses caused by the war currently totals to USD 588 billion.

RDNA5 is not merely a summary of statistics. It is a strategic planning tool that enables to structure priorities, identify sectoral needs, and synchronize the state policy with international financial partners.

Building on RDNA5, the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories, together with the World Bank, is preparing a study on the comprehensive recovery of settlements. Plans include scaling up the pilot experience from 5 to 20 communities, taking into account the territories’ economic potential and migration processes.

This approach signifies a transition from fragmented projects to scheduled recovery of communities, with a clear logic of spatial development, infrastructure priorities, and financial capacity.

Separately discussed were:

• funding of compensations within the framework of the eRecovery program;
• strengthening the institutional capacity through the formation of Project Management/Implementation Units (PMU/PIU);
• expanding sectoral cooperation in the areas of energy (REPOWER), port logistics (RELINC), and financial resilience of the railway sector.

Basically, this involves synchronizing infrastructure restoration with the financial stability of strategic sectors of the economy.

ICEG’s position: from numbers to systemic management

RDNA5 establishes the necessary analytithe cal foundation for decision-making. At the same time, the report itself does not guarantee the effectiveness of reconstruction.

To transform the assessed needs into real results, the following are required:

• professional project management;
• clear contract model;
• quality standards and construction supervision;
• coordination among clients, donors, and contractors.

ICEG consistently emphasizes that reconstruction must be based on the principles of systemic approach, transparency, and engineers’ responsibility. Scaling up community recovery programs, establishing PMU/PIU, and international coordination should be accompanied by the involvement of consulting engineers as key elements in managing risks, costs, and implementation timelines.

Reconstruction is not just about building facilities. It is about managing complex processes under conditions of limited resources and high security risks.

RDNA5 sets the standard. Further results will depend on the quality of managerial decisions and professional implementation at the level of communities and economy sectors.