The original piece was published at the Brazilian Newspaper O Povo, Opinion section, on July 4th, 2026, and can be found here: https://mais.opovo.com.br/jornal/opiniao/2026/07/04/gustavo-glodes-blum-desafios-da-reconstrucao.html
As the most systemically impactful international conflicts subside, some of the world’s attention turns to reconstruction efforts. Although the conflicts in Iran, Gaza, and Ukraine show no clear and definitive end in the coming weeks, governments and investors are already focused on reconstruction efforts. And this could be a problem.
Post-conflict reconstruction is an important moment. Along with political strategies for conflict resolution and efforts to prevent the re-emergence of violence, the reconstruction of war-affected areas is generally seen as a good economic opportunity.
It was based on the idea of joint reconstruction with shared benefits that the first regional integration initiatives took place, shortly after the Second World War. The creation of the ancestor of the current European Union, the European Coal and Steel Community, was an attempt by the national governments of Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany to create shared conditions for reconstruction after the devastation caused by the world conflict that ended in 1945. While political cooperation between these countries was seen as an important step in reducing the possibility of conflict between them, the benefits of using a basic economic sector to drive the economy were important for the construction of the welfare state in Western Europe.
If the focus is not currently on international cooperation, this last factor has been seen as a strategic way out by several countries. The conflict in the Strait of Hormuz region directly affects the world economy; the profits and macroeconomic effects of loans and the actions of international companies in Gaza and Ukraine have been seen as a way to boost the stagnant economies of Western Europe and the United States.
Faced with a certain stagnation, European countries, as well as the United States, see the reconstruction of these various war scenarios as a unique economic opportunity. For this reason, several have been pressing for an end to hostilities and the pursuit of a peace agreement to end the conflicts.
Aid to reconstruction has an important aspect. It is the country providing this aid that defines how the money will be spent, which sectors will be served, and what type of sector it will serve in the devastated region. Thus, the position of donors is strategic, and they will seek to meet their internal demands as well as their international engagement. And it is here that we can find some external and internal clashes that have been occurring more recently: several countries that unequivocally support Ukraine, for example, have been clashing with each other because of the intention to get ahead in the reconstruction race. And this is a movement to which we must pay attention in the medium term.
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