Kyiv, 27 January: Ministry of Regional Development and Construction of Ukraine and Council of Europe in co-operation with Delegation of Ukraine to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, UNDP-led Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme and other agencies working in area of local government have organised an International conference on "Presentation of the European Strategy on Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level".
The conference participants have gathered to discuss the available means for ensuring more active involvement of citizens in social and political life at the local level, applying the instruments and political initiatives founded by European institutions. In addition, the participants learned about the UNDP's community-based approach to local development, which has been currently used across Ukraine.
Opening the conference, Vasyl Kuybida, the Minister of Regional Development and Construction of Ukraine, Honourary member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, said: "Formulating effective public policy in Ukraine facilitates redistribution of tasks, duties, authority and resources at the national, regional and local levels. Thus, more responsibilities, authority and resources should be transferred from state to bodies of local government according to European Charter of Local Self-Governance".
During the conference, the participants discussed European Strategy on Innovations and Good Governance at Local Level and CLEAR Toolkit, a diagnostic tool for citizen participation at the local level.
The participants learned successful first-hand experience of Voznesensk municipality in establishment of the quality management system for municipal services according to ISO 9000:2001 and experience of Novograd-Volynskiy in engaging local community to solving local problems.
Speaking during the conference, Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecka, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, said that UN Development Programme has been strongly promoting the involvement of citizens, civil society organisations and private sector in human development process as their participation in the decision-making was recognised as a key to achieving good governance for sustainable social, economic and environmental development.
"Enhanced participation of local communities, municipalities, regional bodies of councils and administration and conducive policy environment in favour of community participation in sustainable local development is desirable for maximisation of desired impact," she added.
The Ministry of Regional Development and Construction of Ukraine is considered one of the key UNDP/MGSDP partners on the national level. In 2008, a draft partnership agreement was prepared jointly with the Ministry and UNDP/MGSDP, in which main ways of collaboration were identified.
As one of first step for mutual cooperation, the Mayors of UNDP/MGSDP partner municipalities were invited to participate in the International Conference on "Presentation of the European Strategy on Innovation and Good Governance at Local Level" to share UNDP/MGSDP experience in involving local communities to solving local problems in urban Ukraine.
Yuriy Herzhov, Voznesensk City Mayor shared the experience of certification of municipal services according to ISO 9000:2001.
"Based on our experience, establishment of the quality management system for municipal services became beneficial for the citizens and the city administration personnel," he said."Conducting the surveys we observe the rise in level of citizens' satisfaction, elimination of corruption and subjectivity in solving the problems, increase of transparency. The city administration personnel save time for implementing strategic goals of the municipality and enjoy flexible and transparent system of motivation. Our experience will be a good example for other cities of Ukraine", he added.
The community based approach was incorporated in procedures of the City Council of Novograd-Volynskiy. Mykola Borovets, the City Mayor, said: "The cooperation with MGSDP helped us diminish the passiveness of the communities and mobilise them for solving local problems in our town. The budget resolution of the City Council states that local budget funds will be allocated only based on principle of co-financing with local communities, which means that municipality fully internalized UNDP/MGSDP model".
The participants of the round table included Giovanni Di Stasi, Head of the Council of Europe Center for Expertise of Local Self Government Reform, Ake Peterson, Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for the coordination of cooperation programs with Ukraine, Olav Berstad, and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Ukraine.
For more details, please, contact Galyna Gulenko, Monitoring and Communications Officer of UNDP/MGSDP, by tel. +38 (044) 501 4203 or via e-mail: galyna.gulenko@undp.org.ua.
