On 13 August, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the State Strategy for Regional Development for 2021-2027, which will become an effective tool to overcome the consequences of the war, promote recovery and facilitate the country’s accession to the EU.
The EU provided support for the preparation of the Strategy through the European Commission, the EU Delegation and the EU-funded U-LEAD with Europe programme, as well as comprehensive advisory and expert assistance. A significant contribution to the update of the Strategy was made by the Sectoral Working Group on Decentralisation and Regional Development, co-chaired by the EU, Switzerland and the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.
By adopting the Strategy, the Government of Ukraine is implementing the recommendations of the 2023 Enlargement Report and the indicator of the Ukraine Plan for the 3rd quarter of 2024.
The adoption of the Strategy is an important step towards Ukraine’s democratisation and European integration, based on further decentralisation of power, restoration of local self-government in the de-occupied territories, effective multi-level governance and a clear division of powers between executive and local authorities. The EU welcomes Ukraine’s commitment and efforts to create safe, economic and social conditions for its citizens to return home. Therefore, the EU supports the key vectors of the Strategy, including the reintegration of veterans with their families and the restoration of infrastructure, while emphasising the need to ensure that the requirements are safe, accessible and sensitive to the interests of citizens, including vulnerable groups.
Further, work should continue on the development of the Action Plan to the Strategy, which should contain concrete steps to implement the Strategy. The EU will maintain an active dialogue with the Ministry and other donors in the course of preparing this document.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal: “The Government has updated the State Regional Development Strategy. We have updated it, taking into account the challenges of the war and the recommendations of the European Union. We set ourselves a number of ambitious goals. In particular, to create conditions for the return of Ukrainians home, restore and develop infrastructure, and increase the institutional and financial capacity of local governments. I am confident that this document will help Ukraine in the areas of decentralisation, recovery and sustainable regional development."
According to Rémi Duflot, Chargé d’affaires, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, the State Strategy for Regional Development is one of the key documents for ensuring sustainable development of Ukrainian regions and communities. The EU also looks forward to the further implementation of the recommendations of the latest European Commission’s Enlargement Report on regional policy, in close coordination with the processes of recovery and reconstruction, multi-level governance and territorially-oriented regional policy, taking into account the different impact of the war on the regions of Ukraine.