Strengthening the Role of Local and Regional Governments
On 25 May 2023,
the European Committee of Regions,
the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine hosted a Joint Workshop "Putting the Lugano Principles into Action: Strengthening the Role of Local and Regional Governments in Ukraine's Recovery and Reconstruction Process, and on the road to EU Membership"
.The conference was organized in cooperation with the European Commission, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development as well as with the Government of Ukraine, the Government of the United Kingdom and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
The event with parallel break-up sessions will focus on linking recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine with decentralisation reform and strong involvement of local and regional levels in Ukraine in this process.
The UK was represented by Lee Rowley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Local Government and Building Safety, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Community, and, Danae Dholakia, UK Envoy for Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023.
Read about the workshop
here and the final
declaration/recommendations of the event.
Link with URC23
The conclusions of the 25 May conference were the basis of a dedicated expert panel discussion titled ‘Role of the Regions in Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction’ at the URC 2023 where the issue of decentralisation in rebuilding Ukraine was explored in detail. The discussion moderated by Iryna Ozymok, Local Economic Development Programme Director, Founder of the International Mayors of Summit, included:
Oleksandra Azarkhina, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine;
Dehenna Davison, MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities;
Niina Ratilainen, Member of the European Committee of the Regions (Working Group on Ukraine);
Mathieu Mori, Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe;
Yuriy Bova, Mayor of Trostyanets City;
Viktor Mykyta, Head of Zakarpattia Regional State Administration – Chief of Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration;
Oleksandr Solontay, CEO of NGO Agency for Recovery and Development.
