Strong communities - strong country. Under such a slogan the third forum of the consolidated communities devoted to the issues of economic development of regions will be opened in Kyiv. The event will be held on December 5 with the assistance of Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman. In April 2014, the Head of Government, while serving as Vice Prime Minister, presented the concept of development of local self-governments and has contributed to its approval and introduction as a key element of public administration changes in Ukraine.

Over 4 years, 850 well-developed consolidated communities have already been created in Ukraine which brought together about 4,000 local councils and more than 7 millions of people. Financial decentralization has triggered the growth of local budgets by 3-7 times. In addition, the state also allocated financial assistance for the development of territories.

According to the representatives of the Organizing Committee of the Forum, economic development of regions is the next stage of the decentralization reform. Sufficient administrative powers and resources have already been transferred to the regions, including agricultural land outside of settlements. The existing opportunities allowed to significantly increase the local budgets. So, now consolidated communities face the task of multiplying their assets by attracting entrepreneurial capital, joint investment in development of infrastructure.

"Today it is vitally important to see initiative both from local authorities and community’s leadership in order for them to move forward and to take full advantage of opportunities that have already been created," Volodymyr Groysman stressed earlier."It is impossible to stop people, initiatives as well as to deny the tangible results that have been already achieved. The successful results in the regions are inextricably linked to the successful implementation of the decentralization reform".

 According to the organizers' plans, representatives of local self-governments of all levels, MPs, representatives of  international donor  and expert communities will take part in the forum of consolidated communities.