The G7 countries provide consistent assistance in implementation of the reforms in Ukraine, namely the reform of decentralisation. This is an unprecedented example, when all international partners united around one decentralisation reform, and focused on certain directions – healthcare, education, administrative services, territory planning, etc. And they apply the best European and world experience in each direction. Today, Ukraine is a successful example in terms of involving the best principles of democratic governance. I am grateful to G7 ambassadors for our joint work, said Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, while visiting the Kiptivska AH in the Chernihiv Oblast with the ambassadors of the G7 countries.

During the trip, the diplomats visited the Kipti ASC, modernised with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme. “Provision of the high-quality administrative services is primarily the image of power. And it was right of the head of the Kiptivska AH in the Chernihiv Oblast to start with development of administrative service centres. 746 ASCs are already operating in Ukraine today, of which 88 are located in AHs. In order to create 30-minute access to administrative services, around 250 ASCs are still to be opened in Ukraine. However, there can be more of them, the question is only about the quality of service delivery standards. Today we have demonstrated that provision of 97 administrative services in a small Kiptivska hromada is already a result. And the quality of this service has become possible due to support of the international partners, who provided modern software and personnel training,” said Hennadii Zubko.

The G7 ambassadors noted the success of the decentralisation reform and assured further support for its implementation. Canadian Ambassador Roman Waschuk said that decentralisation in Ukraine is where “every region, every village, each hromada can take care of their own destiny and involve an international partner in cooperation”. He noted that the example of the Kipti ASC’s operation shows how the international experience and standards are used in the system of administrative service delivery.

Within the framework of the visit, the project “Organisation of Land Management and Implementation of the Local Economic Development Strategy under Decentralisation”, supported by the USAID Agriculture and Rural Development Support Programme, was presented. The purpose of this pilot project is to create land e-management on the territory of amalgamated hromadas for their sustainable economic development. Such a project is being implemented in Ukraine for the first time and is innovative in terms of procedures and technologies.

According to the Vice Prime Minister, the project is a powerful communication tool for hromada residents, business representatives, and investors.

“When a hromada has opportunities and instruments, it develops very fast. Local budgets grow both at the expense of tax revenues and investment attraction. On the other hand, hromadas would have more opportunities and funds in case of transfer of land resources to them. Therefore, it is currently extremely important to adopt the law on the transfer of land management powers to hromadas, developed by MinRegion, as well as the law on AH territory planning. These laws are part of the package of top-priority decentralisation laws, submitted to the parliament,” said Gennady Zubko.

The event was attended by Roman Waschuk, Ambassador of Canada, Marie L. Yovanovitch, Ambassador of the USA, Ernst Reichel, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Judith Gough, Ambassador of the United Kingdom, Isabelle Dumont, Ambassador of France, Davide La Cecilia, Ambassador of Italy, Shigeki Sumi, Ambassador of Japan, Berend de Groot, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, and other diplomatic representatives.

Background:

The Kiptivska amalgamated hromada was formed in 2015. It consists of 6 rural councils of the Kozelets Rayon of the Chernihiv Oblast, which united 12 villages. The population of the hromada is 5,500 people. The total area of ​​the land on the AH territory is 29.5 thousand hectares, including 20.7 thousand hectares of agricultural land and 6.7 thousand hectares of forestry land.

The U-LEAD with Europe Programme (Support to Improved Administrative Service Delivery). During 2016-2018, 26 AHs became the pilot projects, where different operational models of service delivery were implemented – in large hromadas, small hromadas, in a mobile format and by means of remote workplaces. The next phase involves support in establishment or modernisation of up to 600 ASCs by April 2020.

The Agriculture and Rural Development Support Project is a USAID project, implemented by “Kimonix” company and aims to promote comprehensive and sustainable economic growth through development of agriculture and creation of more attractive living conditions in the rural areas of Ukraine.