Denmark has become the first contributor to the new Ukraine Community Recovery Fund (UCRF). The UN Fund supports community-level investments in reconstruction of housing, energy, social infrastructure, humanitarian demining, and support to livelihoods and local economic development in Ukraine.
“Denmark strongly believes in the importance of a community-focused approach to recovery,” said Dan Jørgensen, the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy.
On November 14 the UN Headquarters in New York, Ms. Denise Brown, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, provided a brief on UN efforts in the country. The main focus is addressing urgent humanitarian needs during the approaching cold winter, compounded by frequent attacks on energy infrastructure affecting electricity, heating, and water supply.
Emphasizing the strong desire of people to return to their communities, she called for increased commitment from partners in housing reconstruction, energy, social infrastructure, humanitarian demining, livelihood support, and local economic development:
Close collaboration
“Denmark’s contribution as First Mover is an important one. We already see it catalyzing further contributions to the Fund and expanding our reach so that we can support more Ukrainian families to go back to their communities and homes,” Brown said.
Starting in 2022, Denmark has collaborated closely with the city of Mykolaiv and the Mykolaiv Oblast in southern Ukraine. Denmark’s support has spanned from initial provisions such as generators and drinking water systems to the current extensive restoration of social infrastructure and entire residential neighborhoods. “Throughout this endeavor, UN agencies have been valuable partners in our efforts,” the Danish minister added.
“The restoration of every individual community will be the restoration of the whole of Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Kubrakov, Vice Prime Minister for Recovery of Ukraine.