The 4th International Summit of Cities and Regions: Over 20 agreements on strategic cooperation and community recovery signed

As part of the 4th International Summit of Cities and Regions “Partnership. Resilience. Preparedness,” a series of bilateral cooperation documents were signed between Ukrainian communities and regions, and foreign partner cities and regions.

Areas of cooperation include community recovery, inter-municipal partnerships, support for frontline territories, education, the development of local self-government, and international solidarity.

This involves 22 agreements, memorandums, and protocols of intent covering 10 regions of Ukraine and partners from over 10 countries worldwide. Specifically, on the Ukrainian side: Kherson, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv regions. On the part of foreign partners: Norway, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Moldova, Poland, Italy, the United States, Sweden, and Germany.

A key feature of this year’s Summit was the expansion of its scope to include de-occupied and frontline territories, as well as the strengthening of interregional cooperation within the “Side by Side” initiative.

In particular, the Kherson Regional Military Administration signed memorandums of understanding with the Westfold Regional Council (Kingdom of Norway) and the Ostrobothnia Regional Council (Republic of Finland).
The Sumy Regional Military Administration has significantly expanded its European cooperation by signing documents with the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Hertfordshire County Council in the United Kingdom, and the Belgian association “Europe Prykhystok.” The Chernihiv Regional Military Administration has concluded a strategic agreement with the Île-de-France Regional Council.

The Olhopil rural community in Vinnytsia region, together with the Siversk urban community in Donetsk region, signed a memorandum of trilateral cooperation with the Masłowice municipality (Łódź Voivodeship, Poland), while Zaporizhzhia and Chernivtsi signed a similar agreement with Bergamo (Italy).

“Year after year, we see that when Ukrainian communities and foreign partners communicate directly, recovery happens significantly faster and more effectively. It is of fundamental importance for the Ministry to maintain such ties, as this is the most transparent way to channel investments into specific cities and communities. Today’s agreements are ready-made solutions backed by specific rebuilt facilities, restored services, and more resilient communities,” notes Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine/Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba.

The atmosphere of trust and cooperation fostered on the sidelines of the Summit lays a solid foundation for a long-term, comprehensive partnership between Ukrainian communities and cities and foreign partners. This contributes not only to the rapid restoration of damaged and destroyed social and critical infrastructure but also to the high-quality modernization of local self-government in Ukraine.