The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) network is preparing to take an even greater role in delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine. This is clear after the Third Humanitarian Senior Officials Meeting to discuss coordination of the humanitarian response to the crisis in Ukraine was held in Oslo, Norway, on September 26, 2023.

ADRA Ukraine is running a substantial operation, particularly in eastern Ukraine, to help the victims of the current conflict. Thomas Petracek, head of Programs and Emergency Response at the ADRA Europe office, expects this operation to increase significantly in the coming months.

This is a key takeaway for ADRA after Petracek attended the meeting on Ukraine in Oslo City Hall. The meeting was organized by the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) Department and hosted by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Humanitarian Needs in Ukraine

The meeting took place exactly one year after the first meeting in the series was held in Brussels, Belgium. At that time, the meeting brought together representatives of the Ukrainian government, European Union (EU) member states, key donors, United Nations (UN) organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Bank, and EU-funded humanitarian organizations. The goal was to ensure a sustainable, effective, efficient, and comprehensive response to the needs in Ukraine, including both humanitarian and development aid. The meeting in Oslo brought together even broader participation than the first meeting did.

Janez Lenarčič, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, in his opening address, highlighted the importance of sustaining humanitarian funding, partnership with local benefactors, humanitarian mine action, and the balance between humanitarian aid and recovery.

“As a leading humanitarian donor in Ukraine, the EU has invited key humanitarian stakeholders to discuss the most pressing needs of Ukrainian people,” Lenarčič stated on the ECHO website in a news article published on the date of the meeting.

As Petracek came away from the high-level meeting in Oslo, he explained ADRA Europe’s connection with the EU, member states, and the UN and how it will be partnering with them to implement humanitarian and development aid in Ukraine.

ADRA Operations in Ukraine

ADRA’s operation in Ukraine is currently at US$18 million and supported by various government agencies. At the meeting in Oslo, it became clear that the international community will increase its funding of aid to Ukraine. ADRA will play an important role in this work and apply for funding for aid projects that ADRA Ukraine is particularly well-suited to implement.

“Most likely, ADRA will concentrate on three-to-four areas close to the front line, with a focus on health and education, but also begin working on rehabilitation,” Petracek said after the meeting.

Petracek noted that there is a trend within the aid sector that local non-government organizations (NGOs) are playing a more important role in the implementation of aid. ADRA Ukraine as a national NGO is well-suited to fulfill this role. ADRA Ukraine has currently about 300 employees and hundreds of volunteers across the country.
ADRA Europe donor offices like ADRA Czech Republic, ADRA Denmark, ADRA Germany, and ADRA Slovakia are now in dialogue with their governments and will most likely receive funding for aid projects in Ukraine.

To receive EU funding through ECHO, the ADRA offices must be certified. ADRA Czech Republic, ADRA Denmark, and ADRA Germany are already certified. ADRA Norway is in the process of becoming certified.

To view the photos, please go here or here. 

Caption 1: ADRA Ukraine is working closely with local authorities. Andriy Volkov (left) a volunteer from ADRA Ukraine, delivers humanitarian aid to people living near the Ukraine/Russia border. Here, Yuri Zarko (right), mayor of Bilopillya, Sumy, has presented ADRA with a certificate from the municipality, expressing gratitude for their work. Photo: Courtesy of Yuri Zarko/Adventist Media Exchange (CC BY 4.0).

Caption 2: Thomas Petracek (left), Head of Programs and Emergency Response for ADRA Europe, in conversation with Elidon Bardhi, Programs director for ADRA Norway, after the high-level meeting to discuss humanitarian challenges in Ukraine, hosted by The European Commission Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo City Hall on September 26, 2023. Photo: Tor Tjeransen/Adventist Media Exchange (CC BY 4.0).

The original version of this story was posted on the Norwegian Union Conference website.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-European Division website.