The Need to Rebuild the Economy of the Regions of Ukraine and the Role of Smart Specialization in its Provision

Abstract

The article examines the problems of regional development of Ukraine in the conditions of war. There is an increase in the disparities in regional development due to the unevenness of losses and destruction from hostilities, migration of the population and displacement of enterprises. It is concluded that all regions of Ukraine face large-scale tasks of economic reconstruction, reconstruction and innovative modernization of economic complexes. It is substantiated that the strategy of smart specialization is an effective tool for ensuring regional reconstruction and modernization. The essence of the concept of smart specialization, its theoretical and methodological basis are disclosed, the policy of smart specialization in the European Union is considered. The legal basis, practice and shortcomings of the implementation of the strategy of smart specialization of regions in Ukraine in 2016-2021 are analyzed. The necessary conditions for effective smart specialization of regions in the conditions of war are defined and systematized: development of realistic strategies for the development of communities and regions based on a detailed inventory of their own resources and capabilities; attraction of financial resources necessary for restoration from internal and external sources; preservation and return of skilled labor to the regions and the formation of competencies necessary for innovative modernization of the regional economy; involvement of all regional development actors in the tasks of recovery and ensuring their productive cooperation.