The Polaris project is a programme focused on multilevel governance in Ukraine by strengthen local self-governance, enhance municipal capacities and assist in the recovery and reconstruction of war affected regions. The programme is implemented by SALAR International, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and is aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Strategy for Sweden’s recovery and reform cooperation with Ukraine 2023–2027, and Ukraine’s EU integration process. The overall aim of the programme is to address urgent needs caused by the war, while simultaneously building long term capacities and consolidating and strengthening the decentralisation process in Ukraine.
The programme works with a SymbioCity approach by integrating recovery and reconstruction with long-term urban development. It links infrastructure, social services, economic growth, and governance, promotes participatory planning, and strengthens municipal capacities, ensuring that short-term aid contributes to sustainable, resilient, and inclusive local development in Ukraine.
Time period: 2024-2028
Locally-Led Recovery
Within the thematic area “Locally-led Recovery”, strategies and plans for recovery have during the first phase been developed in close collaboration with 13 municipalities and one regional administration affected by the conflict. Additional municipalities and regions will be considered for the second phase. Based on the recovery planning process, municipalities will receive support to identify catalytic projects that address service delivery and infrastructure priorities, while promoting local recovery and attracting additional funding. SALAR International will help ensure project implementation is monitored and reported back to communities, and adapt the LLR methodology for Oblast-level support. The first phase has been iteratively developed using international best practices, tailored to Ukraine’s context and legislation. innovative tools such as scenario planning, the municipalities learned to test their decisions against multiple plausible futures, ensuring that the investments made today remain viable regardless of shifting demographic or security conditions. Informed by experiences and learnings from the programme, SALAR International and partners will support national policy dialogue on recovery and reconstruction, also taking account of the requirements of Ukraine’s EU integration process.
