U-LEAD with Europe

🗣️ “Municipalities play a key role in the European integration process. Compliance with the principle of subsidiarity is the top priority in Ukraine's multi-level government system. In addition, the recommendations of the EU Enlargement Report regarding the legislation required to complete the decentralisation reform must be implemented.,” emphasized Sören U. Herbst, Head of the Multi-Level Governance Unit of U-LEAD with Europe, during his visit to the Zakarpattia Oblast.   Mr. Herbst held meetings with the leadership of the Batyovo, Kholmok, Syurte, Tyachiv and Yasinya municipalities. The discussions focused on the challenges of border areas, national minorities, private income tax reform, investment attraction and municipality management.   📍 Sören Herbst also met with the team of U-LEAD regional office and NGOs to learn more about the initiatives in the region and share their experience in implementing the integrity principles.   U-LEAD continues to help hromadas become stronger, manage resources more efficiently and move towards European living standards! 💙💛

💙💛 Happy Local Self-Government Day to you from Bastian Veigel, U-LEAD's Programme Director!  Today we celebrate the strength of Ukrainian hromadas, your resilience and commitment. Together, we are writing the history of the transformation of Ukrainian hromadas and strengthening the democratic future of Ukraine. Thank you for your work and cooperation! 🇪🇺 Together to success! 🌟

On December 4, the conference "Municipal Reconstruction in Ukraine: From Identification to Financing of Investment Projects" took place in Kyiv! Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation Programs at the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, at the opening of the event emphasized that “U-LEAD was a pioneer in the introduction of the Project Preparation Facility (PPF). Thanks to it, we currently have 25 gender-sensitive initiatives ready for funding.” Bastian Veigel, U-LEAD's Programme Director, added that the PPF was built on many years of U-LEAD's experience working with Ukrainian municipalities. At the event, the positive experience of U-LEAD's cooperation with 20 hromadas within the framework of the PPF was presented. In particular, Serhiy Peresunko (Shyroke municipality), Mykhailo Netiazhuk (Fastiv municipality), Maksym Lahodienko (Novyi Buh municipality) and Yuriy Fomichev (Slavutych municipality) shared their advice on how to organize the work of the project preparation team, how to collect the necessary initial data quickly and even free of charge, and how to order the development of a detailed territory plan for a neighboring hromada. Oleksiy Ryabykin, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, emphasized that the PPF is only one of a number of tools for recovery and announced the resumption of the State Fund for Regional Development next year. Together with Gabriel Blanc (European Commission), Silvan Hungerbühler (Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine), Yulia Shevchuk (NEFCO Ukraine), Lesia Didenko (Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine), and Oleksandr Sakharuk (Borodyanka municipality), they discussed the capacity of hromadas to prepare and finance reconstruction projects. During the panel discussion “How to develop reconstruction projects with the future in mind?” Anna Novosad (SavEd Foundation), Lyudmyla Kryzhanovska (Promprylad Foundation), Anna Pashynska (MetaLab) and Anton Kolomeytsev (Lviv City Council) shared tips on how to look for innovative ideas in architecture, design and urbanism for sustainable recovery. U-LEAD will continue to support Ukrainian hromadas. New initiatives for restoration and development will be presented soon, and we will do our best to ensure that the results of these efforts are long-lasting!

🤝 Local self-government is important for European integration! "Local and regional authorities of Ukraine have demonstrated incredible resilience and play a key role in the recovery, reconstruction and transformation of Ukraine, as well as in its path to integration with the EU," said Nazia Rehman, member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, during the conference "State of Local Self-Government: Challenges and Prospects", organized by the Association of Ukrainian Cities with the support of U-LEAD. Olena Tomniuk, Deputy Director of the U-LEAD with Europe, thanked the Association of Ukrainian Cities for the significant results achieved through cooperation with U-LEAD. She noted that in particular, in cooperation with the association, dozens of international partnerships between Ukrainian and European municipalities were established. U-LEAD will continue to support the development of local self-government in Ukraine in the new year 2025! 🔗 Learn more in the material: https://bit.ly/3CWAxnc 

🌟 From rehabilitation spaces to new kindergartens, cooperation between Poltava Oblast municipalities and NGOs brings real results. In the Nekhvoroshcha municipality, during a meeting of municipality heads, they discussed how partnerships help to: 🔹 support IDPs; 🔹 develop non-formal education; 🔹 create jobs; 🔹 attract investment. Vivid examples: 🏫 “Sonechko”(Sunshine) kindergarten and a new sport center. 🛠 4 mini-workshops for processing vegetables and fruits. 🤝 UAH 60 million raised since 2020 for municipality development. The Nekhvoroshcha and Novoselivka municipalities show how to set priorities, find resources, and successfully implement projects that change the lives of their residents. Learn more in the material: https://bit.ly/3Ox5j8V 

🛠️Rebuilding Municipalities: From Idea to Implementation of Investment Projects 🛠️   U-LEAD with Europe invites you to participate in a discussion on rebuilding Ukrainian municipalities. The event will bring together experts, officials, international organizations, and municipality representatives. The goal is not only to present practical solutions for preparing municipal investment projects but also to engage key stakeholders in dialogue on financing these projects.   U-LEAD will introduce the first Ukrainian Municipal Project Preparation Facility (PPF) — a unique approach to reconstruction developed in response to the massive destruction caused by russia’s aggression. Using the facility, 20 municipalities have already prepared 25 gender-sensitive projects, with a total investment value exceeding €140 million. These projects have the potential to improve the lives of over half a million Ukrainians.   PPF goes beyond conventional technical issues. It provides comprehensive support, from idea to financing, including the preparation of technical and tender documentation, registration on the DREAM platform, and assistance in finding financing sources.   📅 Date: December 4 📍 Format: Offline (by invitation) and online (with prior registration).   Why join? ✅ Discover the successes of the PPF in preparing reconstruction projects. ✅ Learn about available financing opportunities. ✅ Explore sustainable and innovative approaches to municipal recovery.   👉 Join online! Register by sending a request to iryna.volska@giz.de 🔗 Take part in shaping Ukraine’s rebuilding future!  

🇩🇪 Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine Martin Jaeger visited Sumy Oblast to meet with leaders of border municipalities at the U-LEAD with Europe Regional Office! 💡During the meeting, the heads of the municipalities spoke about the challenges they face every day: constant shelling, destruction of critical infrastructure, losses of local budgets and the need for state support. Special attention was paid to initiatives that help municipalities adapt to the war. In particular, the Nova Sloboda municipality managed to create a center of resilience, hire new doctors, open a psychological relief room and form a fire brigade. Mr. Jaeger emphasized the importance of supporting municipalities: “Ukraine is part of the European family. We are grateful for your resilience and are ready to further contribute to overcoming the challenges and restoring the region.” Maryna Lobova, Deputy Head of the U-LEAD Regional Operations Unit, noted that the meeting was focused on discussing the challenges of the borderland that should be taken into account when rebuilding, supporting and planning strategic development: “It is important for us to better understand the problems faced by municipalities every day and find ways to solve them together,” she emphasized. 👉 As part of the visit, the Ambassador also visited the municipality of Trostianets, where he discussed the results of cooperation with German partners with Yuriy Bova, the mayor. Among the implemented projects: a mobile hospital, which has become an example of a modern medical space, alternative energy supply, provision of vehicles and assistance for internally displaced persons.

✨ Project managers from all over Ukraine went on a study visit to the Khmelnytskyi Oblast to learn how to successfully implement ideas for the development of their hromadas. 🔹 The Khmelnytskyi Regional Office of U-LEAD shared its experience in using SMART specialization and demonstrated real cases that help hromadas achieve more. 🔹 The Stara Ushytsya hromada impressed with unique examples of cooperation: the Bakota Hub residence has become not only a cultural center, but also a driver of hromada development. The participants also visited the “Painted Village”, which proves that art can change municipalities. 🔹 In Kamianets-Podilskyi, the guests studied how the project office promotes the emergence of craft businesses and strengthens the local economy. This visit was a great opportunity to share experiences, get inspired, and learn about real models of work that can be adapted in their municipalities. 🌟 👉 Read more interesting details about the visit soon on our website!

🇺🇦 🇩🇪 At the House of Decentralization in Kyiv, U-LEAD with Europe brought together mayors and local leaders for a discussion with GIZ’s upper management on strategies for strengthening the resilience of Ukrainian municipalities amid war and post-war reconstruction. The meeting focused on establishing a shared vision for recovery, addressing key challenges in rebuilding, and enhancing collaboration with international partners.    🤝🏻 The exchange took place between Oleksandr Sytailo, Mayor of Malyn municipality (Zhytomyr Oblast), Svitlana Bytsko, Mayor of Dobrianka municipality (Chernihiv Oblast), and Mykhailo Netiazhyk, Mayor of Fastiv municipality (Kyiv Oblast) and Carsten Schmitz-Hoffmann, GIZ’s Director General for Europe, Mediterranean, and Central Asia as well as Bastian Veigel, Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe.   Oleksandr Sytailo, mayor of Malyn, Zhytomyr region, emphasized the scale of the challenges his municipality faces: “Our municipality, which is located near the border, has been severely affected by the war, and about 100 objects are completely beyond repair. Every day we face new difficulties. We applied to U-LEAD’s Project Preparation Facility to receive specialized support, and our application was selected. We are sincerely grateful to U-LEAD for its support in these difficult times.”   Carsten Schmitz-Hoffmann emphasized: “We are constantly working to further increase the impact of our work to support Ukrainian municipalities as they resist against the consequences of the Russian aggression. Our aim is to deepen cooperation between Ukrainian hromadas and its European partners, fostering stronger ties that support resilience and recovery.”   Bastian Veigel stressed: "We are proud that U-LEAD exemplifies the collaborative efforts between the European Union, its member states, and Ukraine to strengthen local governance. The knowledge shared and the reforms advanced through this partnership will be vital in supporting Ukraine’s journey toward EU membership.   💡 U-LEAD with Europe, a collaborative effort of the EU and various of its member states, remains dedicated to empowering Ukrainian municipalities with the tools and knowledge essential for a resilient, democratic and prosperous future. Carsten Schmitz-Hoffmann 

✨ Team Europe in Action! U-LEAD with Europe's 9th Steering Committee meeting took place in the House of Decentralisation. Chaired by Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, and Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Ukraine, the achievements of U-LEAD's second phase were presented and discussed. Also, Bastian Veigel, Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe presented the Priorities for the upcoming third phase. The Steering Committee was attended by representatives of U-LEAD with Europe donors and contributors Germany, Denmark, Poland and Slovenia. 🇪🇺 🇩🇪 🇩🇰 🇵🇱 🇸🇮 🇺🇦 For the first time also representatives from France joined the Steering Committee Meeting as France plans to join the multi-donor initiative through Expertise France contributing vital knowledge and experience in decentralisation and strengthening municipalities. Oleksii Riabykin, praised the U-LEAD Programme for its role in decentralisation: “Thanks to decentralisation, Ukrainian municipalities were able to resist and respond to the challenges imposed by the war. We are grateful to U-LEAD with Europe and its donors for the valuable contribution in the success of the reform and the decisive support of municipalities”. Stefan Schleuning, summarized the progress already made and outlined the future perspective: “U-LEAD with Europe has made a prominent effort to increase the resilience of Ukraine. It has significantly helped to mitigate the ruinous impacts of the war and strengthen hromadas as they take on their reconstruction endeavours. Looking ahead, the Programme will be an important supporter for making Ukraine's multi-level governance system ready for EU accession”. Marcus Koll, Head of Cooperation from the German Embassy stressed the importance to support hromadas in a joint approach to maximise impact: "Thanks to comprehensive and joint collaboration among all the partners under the U-LEAD umbrella, far-reaching and sustainable results have been achieved. Team Europe is key for this." U-LEAD’s activities during Phase III will kick-off on 1st January 2025 and last until the end of 2027. Under the current dire circumstances, Ukrainian municipalities can rely on U-LEAD with Europe's friendship and support, working together to build a promising European future. Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine