| INTERNATIONAL
REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE |
LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES – BUCHAREST SUMMIT
JULY 6-7
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
| WEDNESDAY, JULY 5 |
8:00 – 19:00 Participants Arrive
20:00 Welcoming Reception
Speaker: Kathleen Kavalec, US Ambassador to Romania, United States (TBC)
Venue: Novotel Bucharest City Centre, Calea Victoriei 37B, București 030167
| THURSDAY, JULY 6 |
Venue: Bucharest City Hall, Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta 47
***
09:00 – 09:15 Opening Remarks
Speakers:
- Horia Tomescu, Deputy Mayor, Bucharest
- Romain Le Quiniou, Program Officer, Transatlantic Strategy Division, International Republican Institute
09:15 – 10:45 Learning from Practice – Strategies to Enhance Migration Crisis Management Mechanisms
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, local municipalities across Central and Eastern Europe – in particular Polish and Romanian ones – have found themselves at the forefront of the largest displacement crisis since World War II. Just in a few weeks, more than 8 million people have sought refuge in Europe. From immediate crisis management to refugee integration, local authorities and civil society at the frontline of crisis response learned numerous best practices and lessons, identified areas for improvement, and forged new connections for optimized crisis response. Despite the long-term challenges local authorities are still facing, initial feedback from key stakeholders can offer the necessary wisdom and opportunity to enhance migration crisis management mechanisms and better prepare collectively for future crises. How can we strengthen and generalize community building tools? How can we improve national frameworks and EU/international mechanisms for migration crisis management? How can we better integrate and coordinate multi-level and multi-actor crisis management strategies? How can we improve the localization of International Organizations’ engagement? These are the key questions that will be discussed during this roundtable. The session will consist of brief inputs from speakers (5-7 minutes each), followed by a collective roundtable discussion with other participants.
Speakers:
- Layla Kayacik, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees, Council of Europe – Strengthening Multi-Level and Multi-Actors Cooperation to Cope with Migration Crisis Management (TBC)
- Konrad Fijołek, Mayor, Rzeszów – Rzeszów: How to Integrate Displaced Ukrainians through Community Building Process
- Oana Matache, Deputy Mayor, Buzău – Designing National Crisis Management in Romania
- Joanna Jachacy, Project Manager Institutional and Business Cooperation, Polish Center for International Aid – Adapting to Local Contexts and Crisis Specifics
- Anca Drăgoi, Director of Humanitarian Assistance, Commit Global – The Role of Technology to Foster Multilayered Coordination in Emergency Response
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:45 Looking Ahead – Fostering Integration of Displaced Ukrainians in Local Communities
While the immediate humanitarian crisis may have subsided, local authorities are still grappling with significant long-term challenges. And while the situation continues to disrupt the daily lives of local communities, local authorities are finding themselves short of material, human, and financial resources. On their side, International Organizations, despite their continuous efforts, are unable to fully meet these needs and their long-term presence in the region remains uncertain. Current challenges include integrating Ukrainian refugees into the local economy, enrolling their children in the education system, and addressing broader issues related to social cohesion. The situation is further complicated as Poland and Romania have never before faced such a challenge, and therefore lack national strategies and tools. Yet, local authorities and other stakeholders must continue their efforts to integrate displaced Ukrainians into local communities. What are the most important challenges local authorities are facing and how to ensure a long-term integration of Ukrainians in local communities? How can we better support local authorities in overcoming their resource deficits? How can we ensure the transfer of best practices across the region? These are the key questions that will be discussed during this roundtable. The session will consist of brief inputs from speakers (5-7 minutes each), followed by a collective roundtable discussion with other participants.
Speakers:
- Joana Sosnowska, International Department, Warsaw – Warsaw: How to Integrate Successfully Displaced Ukrainians into Local Economy (TBC)
- Flavia Boghiu, Deputy Mayor, Braşov – Braşov: An Innovative Plan to Integrate Kids into the Education System
- Mircea Mocanu, Head of Romania Office, IOM – Ensuring Localized and Long-Term Engagement
- Yiftach Millo, Director Romania Office, HIAS – The Need to Rationalize Financial Resources to Improve IOs Engagement at Local Level
- Representative, Ukraine – Cooperation Between Polish and Romanian Authorities on the Integration of Ukrainians (TBC)
13:00 – 14:30 Lunch
Venue: TBD
14:30 – 16:30 Recommendation Workshop – Enhancing Local-International Partnerships for Effective Migration Crisis Response
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 |
| Topic: Reframing a General Framework for Migration Crisis Management | Topic: Designing Innovative and Flexible Funding Mechanisms for Refugee Integration at Local Level | Topic: Strengthening Cooperation between Local Authorities and International Organizations |
| Rapporteur: Lukas Trötzer, Senior Advisor, The Refugee Hub | Rapporteur: Nataliya Novakova, Program Manager Migration Europe & Central Asia, Open Society Foundations | Rapporteur: Yiftach Millo, Director Romania Office, HIAS |
| Participants:
TBD
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Participants:
TBD
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Participants:
TBD
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16:30 – 16:45 Coffee Break
16:45 – 17:30 Presentation of Conclusions from Recommendation Workshops
Speakers:
- Reframing a General Framework for Migration Crisis Management – Lukas Trötzer, Senior Advisor, The Refugee Hub
- Designing Innovative and Flexible Funding Mechanisms for Refugee Integration at Local Level – Nataliya Novakova, Program Manager Migration Europe & Central Asia, Open Society Foundations
- Strengthening Cooperation Between Local Authorities and International Organizations – Yiftach Millo, Director Romania Office, HIAS
20:00 Dinner
Venue: Kane Restaurant, București 010083
| FRIDAY, JULY 7 |
Venue: Novotel Bucharest City Centre, Calea Victoriei 37B, București 030167
***
09:00 – 09:15 Opening Remarks
Speakers:
- National Authorities Representative, Romania (TBC)
- Romain Le Quiniou, Program Officer, Transatlantic Strategy Division, International Republican Institute
09:15 – 10:45 Ukraine Reconstruction – The Need for a Coordinated Regional Strategy
Local authorities and communities in Central and Eastern European ‘gateway regions’ – EU regions bordering Ukraine – have been confronting continuous challenges for more than a year and a half. As discussions about Ukraine’s reconstruction emerge, it is crucial to include these CEE gateway regions’ voices in the conversation, helping them to turn challenges into opportunities for their local communities. To be truly effective and assist Ukraine in achieving its long-term objectives, Ukraine’s reconstruction should not be considered in isolation. Instead, a regional and coordinated approach should be adopted, allowing mutually beneficial gains for Ukraine and neighboring regions from Poland, Romania or Moldova. In fact, the CEE ‘gateway regions’, despite being among the poorest in the EU, should capitalize on the geopolitical and geoeconomic momentum from a victorious Ukraine. How can we design a regional strategy for Ukraine’s reconstruction and facilitate regional cooperations in this regard? How can we identify economic opportunities (such as infrastructure and logistics projects, regional innovation hubs, agricultural cooperation, reindustrialization efforts, etc.) that could be mutually beneficial for Ukraine and CEE gateway regions? How can we attract public and private investments to the region and design coordinated strategies at regional, national, and European/international levels? These are the key questions that will be discussed during this roundtable. The session will consist of brief inputs from speakers (5-7 minutes each), followed by a collective roundtable discussion with other participants.
Speakers:
- Daniel Juravle, Deputy Mayor, Iași – Attracting investments in CEE Gateway Regions to Boost Ukraine Reconstruction
- Przemysław Tuchliński, Deputy Mayor, Białystok – Identifying Economic Opportunities in CEE Gateway Region and Coordinate Development Strategies
- Marcin Nowacki, Vice President, Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers – Designing a Regional and Mutually Beneficial Approach to Ukraine Reconstruction
- Alex Serban, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council – Coordinating a Transatlantic Approach To Ukraine Reconstruction
- Representative UA Municipality – Designing Bilateral and Regional Economic Ties (TBC)
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:45 Shaping Post-War Europe – The Contribution of Polish and Romanian Municipalities in Wider Europe Democratic Reconstruction
Local municipalities in Central and Eastern Europe have played a pivotal role during both the COVID pandemic and the Ukrainian displacement crises. Consequently, there is a growing expectation for these local actors to assume a more significant role in the future of Europe. The impending reconstruction of Ukraine, not only in terms of economy but also on democracy and governance, presents an opportunity for CEE local authorities to actively contribute in shaping the future of the CEE region. Hence, Polish and Romanian local municipalities should play a role in regional developments, fostering person-to-person and city-to-city connections while assisting their non-EU counterparts in advancing reforms for EU accession – particularly in the realm of decentralization and absorption/implementation of EU funds. How can we foster bilateral and multilateral exchanges in the context of Ukraine’s reconstruction? How can Polish and Romanian local municipalities share their know-how in decentralization and democratization processes? How can we learn from past 20 years of regional development in CEE? How can Romanian and Polish local authorities contribute to supporting Ukraine and Moldova paths to EU accession process? These are the key questions that will be discussed during this roundtable. The session will consist of brief inputs from speakers (5-7 minutes each), followed by a collective roundtable discussion with other participants.
Speakers:
- Karol Przywara, Plenipotentiary for International Relations, Wroclaw – Playing a Role in the Democratic Reconstruction of Wider Europe (TBC)
- Ionut Pucheanu, Mayor, Galati, Romania – Learning from the experience of regional development in Romania
- Camelia Bulat, Senior Advisor, CIPE – Stimulate Partnership in the Region at the Governance Level
13:00 – 14:30 Lunch
Venue: TBD
14:30 – 16:30 Recommendation Workshop – Harnessing Ukraine’s Reconstruction as a Regional Instrument for Ensuring Prosperity and Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 |
| Topic: Identifying Economic Needs and Opportunities for a Collaborative Regional Approach to Ukraine’s Reconstruction | Topic: Augmenting Bilateral and Regional Cooperation through Business and Community Connections | Topic: Amplifying Local Voices in CEE: Creating Instruments and Networks for Strategic Coordination Across Europe and Beyond |
| Rapporteur: Marcin Nowacki, Vice President, Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers | Rapporteur: Monika Kočiová, Program Manager, Center for International Private Enterprises | Rapporteur: Clara Volintiru, Director Black Sea Trust, German Marshall Fund |
| Participants:
TBD
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Participants:
TBD
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Participants:
TBD
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16:30 – 16:45 Coffee Break
16:45 – 17:30 Presentation of Conclusions from Recommendation Workshops
Speakers:
- Identifying Economic Needs and Opportunities for a Collaborative Regional Approach to Ukraine’s Reconstruction – Marcin Nowacki
- Augmenting Bilateral and Regional Cooperation through Business and Community Connections – Monika Kočiová, Program Manager, Center for International Private Enterprises
- Amplifying Local Voices in CEE: Creating Instruments and Networks for Strategic Coordination Across Europe and Beyond – Clara Volintiru, Director Black Sea Trust, German Marshall Fund
20:00 Dinner
Venue: Vatra Restaurant, Strada Ion Brezoianu 19, București 010131
| SATURDAY, JULY 8 |
8:00 – 19:00 Participants Depart