Ukrainian frontline towns and communities have joined forces to form an association
A new Association of Frontline Cities and Communities (AFCC) was announced today, 18 September, in Kharkiv.
The initiative was supported by representatives of more than 100 communities in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa and Kyiv regions. The main motivation is to unite the efforts of frontline communities, draw the country's attention to their needs and help these territories become centres of economic growth after the end of hostilities.
The creation of the Association was announced during the forum «Strategic Dimensions of Outpost Cities», which was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine - Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksiy Kuleba.
Every day, you support communities in their work, provide people with all the necessary services, and organise assistance. And you do all this despite constant shelling and danger. This is a huge responsibility. It is very important to support each other, work together, and be united. The forum aims to bring communities together, develop a common voice and common approaches. This is how we will be able to cooperate effectively together – with the government, parliament and international partners. This is the right step. And I am confident that the creation of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities will allow us to clearly articulate our needs and coordinate our actions," said Oleksiy Kuleba.
Ihor Terekhov, Mayor of Kharkiv, became the head of the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities.
«Today, the state is responding to the most difficult challenge since independence. We must work together to ensure the future – to ensure the development of communities and territories and to think about how to bring people back. The role of local government in these matters is crucial. To become more resilient, we must unite. Coordination, mutual assistance, exchange of experience and practical management decisions – all this will help us strengthen communities and support people. This is why we are creating the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities», - said the mayor.
During the forum, participants signed a Memorandum of Intent to join the Association. Frontline cities and communities that become part of the reconstruction team will coordinate their efforts with parliament and the government.
Among the Association's priorities are systematising and scaling up practical experience in assisting victims of shelling, emergency services, infrastructure restoration, safe operation of schools and pre-school institutions, and support for displaced persons.
An important area of focus is creating conditions for business development, in particular a favourable regulatory environment: preferential taxation, investment incentives, simplified administrative procedures, revival of industrial potential, and development of cooperation with international partners.
«Almost four years of war have set a tough bar for life in frontline regions. The main challenges are people's safety, protecting critical infrastructure, keeping emergency services running smoothly, setting up shelters, and helping small and medium-sized businesses. Frontline cities and communities have accumulated relevant experience that should be accumulated and taken into account in the country's post-war recovery programmes. Within the framework of the Association, we are ready to share our practical achievements. We will set up a new ‘optics of change’ for the country in the form of ready-to-use algorithms and solutions», - said Vitaliy Kim, head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration.
Following the forum, participants signed a resolution addressed to the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, international partners and organisations with a proposal to support frontline cities and communities that are united in the Association.
