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It is meant to serve as a one-stop shop collecting all the useful info for local authorities in need of help
On Wednesday, 30 March, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) launched the Ukraine Info-Support Hub for Regions and Cities in recognition of the reality that it is the local authorities bearing the brunt of the humanitarian crisis, which has ensued in the wake of the Russian invasion.
The platform is meant to serve as a practical and easy-to-use guide for local administrations and organizations looking for solutions, aid and guiding in the rapidly developing environment that has sprung around accepting such large number of people all at once.
The platform comes as a supplement to the recently announced 10-point strategy by the European Commission, which aims to streamline the coordination of support provision for the Ukrainian refugees.
The Info-Support Hub for Regions and Cities offers information on rights and funds, support and advocacy. It includes an initiative to match the needs and offers of support by local and regional authorities.
It represents, in a sense, a much-needed repository which bridges the two sides of the humanitarian efforts: those needing help and those ready to provide such help. The initiative also clearly demonstrates the essential role, which European regions and localities play in many of the existential questions facing the European Union today, among them the need to respond effectively and efficiently to refugee waves.
The President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Apostolos Tzitzikostas, stated on the occasion: “Europe's regions, cities and villages have welcomed almost 4 million Ukrainian refugees so far, offering shelter, food and support. Today, we are launching an Info-Support Hub for regions and cities to help them help the Ukrainian people.
I call on all EU regional and local leaders to join our solidarity project, and support our bordering regions that alone cannot help all the millions of families displaced from war. It is our duty to share the responsibility and show European solidarity in action.”
The CoR also has a Working Group on Ukraine, which coordinates the entity’s efforts and activities regarding the management of the humanitarian crisis. The Group also adopted a declaration stating that “planning and implementing the European Union's support for displaced people must be based on the bottom-up approach, by directly involving Europe's regions and cities who are working on the frontline of the humanitarian efforts and will bear the brunt of this crisis”.
The Working Group, also urged – “as a matter of urgency” – the development of a “Reconstruction Plan for Ukraine”, adding that “Ukraine's perspective to become a potential candidate country must be part of that Plan”. The CoR has thus establishing itself as a pro-active institution that considers not only the current issues on the ground but also the solutions that need to be taken in the near future to remedy the situation.
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