Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues to shock the global conscience, with seemingly unending images of indiscriminate violence against civilians broadcast daily. Without question, the most pressing tasks for the global community are supporting Ukrainians’ response and aiding people who are displaced.
Recognizing the inability to predict when this war will end, we must begin planning for the comprehensive work that will be essential after the fighting stops. We cannot have a narrow vision of what that work will entail. Planning for recovery and reconstruction should start now and must include a focus on Ukraine’s democratic future.
Nothing about war is predictable other than the destruction that it leaves in its wake. In more than two decades of working for the federal government, including coordinating large-scale reconstruction efforts, I know early recovery planning is critical, even in the midst of uncertainty. As former United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower famously noted: “Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”
About the author
Paul Weisenfeld@PaulWeisenfeld
Paul Weisenfeld is executive vice president for international development at RTI International, a global research institute and leading international development organization. Before joining RTI, he served as a foreign service officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development, achieving the highest rank of career minister in the Senior Foreign Service. He is currently chair of USAID’s Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid and serves in the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and other boards and advisory committees.
