The mayors of Lviv and Mariupol yesterday signed a Declaration of Solidarity, a joint initiative which is intended to coordinate efforts to rebuild Ukrainian Mariupol, working with state and international institutions. Dozens of partner cities around the world are expected to join this open format of cooperation.
The creation of the Mariupol Reborn Revival Platform was also announced with the support of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, large Ukrainian businesses, international institutions and other cities. The Platform’s expert team will directly develop the city’s revitalisation plan.
Vadym Boychenko, Mayor of Mariupol, said “We believe in our Armed Forces and the inevitability of Ukraine’s victory. That is why we are already working hard to prepare for the liberation of Mariupol. Having high-quality plans in place, along with the necessary resources, will greatly simplify and accelerate the revival of our great city. I am deeply grateful to Andriy Sadovyi and everyone in Lviv, as well as all our partners who are doing so much to support Mariupol and its citizens. Together with Lviv, we are attracting the very best partners, who will be crucial for the success of Mariupol Reborn.”
The Mariupol City Council is already actively planning the first phase of recovery. The “Immediate Response” is aimed at addressing the challenges that will arise immediately after de-occupation. Its goal is to restore the normal life of the city quickly and efficiently. The focus will be on resolving the humanitarian crisis, restarting reliable utilities and administrative services, as well as reviving the transport network, and the education and healthcare systems. It will also involve the restoration of the buildings that have retained their load-bearing capacity, and the implementation of the quick solutions for the temporary resettlement of Mariupol residents whose homes have been destroyed by the Russian occupiers.
Three new offices will be opened very soon to manage the work. The first project office will be in Lviv, providing expert support and training support for the city’s revitalisation team, as well as strategic planning.
The Platform’s office in Dnipro will be responsible for developing the Immediate Response plan and preparing for the restart of municipal enterprises.
The Warsaw office will focus on international cooperation to attract the best urban planning practices and investments in Mariupol Reborn. The expertise developed on the basis of the Revival Platform will help plan the organization of reconstruction in other destroyed cities in Ukraine.
Background information
The Russian occupiers blockaded Mariupol for 80 days and turned it into ruins. The destruction of the city has become one of the greatest tragedies of this war and a symbol of the indomitability of the Ukrainian defenders, who held the defence of Azovstal until the very end.
As a result of Russian aggression, 90% of the vital infrastructure of the city has been damaged, and 50% of apartment buildings have been destroyed. More importantly, at least 22,000 civilians died due to shelling, though the real number could be even higher. Initial estimates suggest the cost of the damage caused by the Russians is more than $14.5 billion.
Mariupol Reborn is the largest urban revitalisation project in Europe since World War II. The project is being implemented on behalf of Pavlo Kyrylenko, Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, with the support of the EBRD, the World Bank, the USAID Economic Support for Ukraine Project, the SCM Group and Metinvest. They have joined forces to rebuild Mariupol using modern practices, the latest technologies and best practices.
