Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Urban Planning Frameworks and Financial Management of Public Projects

Abstract

Post-conflict reconstruction is increasingly urban, fiscally constrained, and institutionally complex, requiring integrated approaches that link spatial planning, public investment management, and transparent procurement. An updated joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment estimates that, as of 31 December 2024, Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery needs amount to US$524 billion over the next decade. This paper develops an implementable governance framework integrating (i) post-conflict urban recovery planning that restores housing, services, and livelihoods while embedding resilience principles (“Build Back Better”), and (ii) financial management practices that reduce leakage, cost overruns, and schedule delays. The approach synthesizes UN-Habitat’s Urban Recovery Framework with IMF Public Investment Management Assessment (PIMA) concepts and World Bank public investment lifecycle controls, and maps these to procurement integrity mechanisms including the Open Contracting Data Standard and the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Sixth Edition, issued February 2025; effective 1 March 2025). Results include an integrated delivery architecture (Figure 1), a reconstruction control matrix (Table 1), and a quantitative scenario illustrating how improving public investment efficiency can reduce implied financing needs while preserving delivery outputs (Table 2; Figure 4).