Zurück Council of Europe Congress : High-level mission to Ukraine

Council of Europe Congress : High-level mission to Ukraine

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Leendert Verbeek, and the Secretary General, Mathieu Mori were in Ukraine from 18 to 20 April 2023.

“Co-ordination efforts among all stakeholders for concrete support to Ukraine, both at European level and in the country, will contribute to democratic stability and resilience, which is vital for Ukraine’s recovery and modernisation”, said Congress President, on the occasion of the International Summit of Cities and Regions organised, in Kyïv on 20 April, by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine.

Addressing a large number of leading figures, including the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Verbeek reiterated the unwavering support of the Congress to Ukraine, its people, and communities. He highlighted the longstanding and continuing co-operation between the Congress and Ukraine on the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government “as the compass for the ongoing local self-government reforms and further decentralisation, transition to civil administration after the war, sustainable development, and on Ukraine’s path towards EU accession”.

Accompanied by Congress Secretary General in different events and high-level bilateral meetings, they discussed the issues related to multi-level and good democratic governance, as well as priorities for ongoing and future reforms. They reaffirmed the Congress political support to Ukraine in the post-war recovery, and commitment through targeted co-operation projects and initiatives such as the Cities4Cities platform.

At the invitation of the Office of the President of Ukraine, President Verbeek visited the town of Bucha, and the villages of Andriivka and Borodyanka in Kyïv Oblast where ten months after his first visit, he witnessed the commitment and huge efforts of local communities and their elected representatives to repair the damages caused by the large-scale aggression by Russia. They exchanged with local leaders the dire consequences on the economic development, drastic impact on the quality of public services, and how these were addressed for the benefit of all local residents.

Congress Secretary General, Mathieu Mori, participated in the High-Level Dialogue on local self-government reform organised by the Parliamentary Committee on the Organisation of State and Local Self-Government - which gathered members of the Parliament of Ukraine, representatives of the Government, representatives of local and regional authorities and their national associations. He praised the constructive spirit and fruitful discussion on establishing a sustainable system of multi-level governance, in view of the complex structural changes needed to rebuild the country for the benefit of all citizens of Ukraine.

The meetings in Kyïv included exchanges with the representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Ministry of Territories, Communities, and Infrastructure Development, the Parliament of Ukraine, the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Kyiv City Mayor, the Delegation of Ukraine to the Congress, as well as the international community.

The International Summit of Cities and Regions 'Partnership for Victory' was organised by Ukraine's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President, with the participation of mayors and regional authorities from Ukraine and around the world, members of the Ukrainian government, representatives of Ukrainian civil society, business and think-tanks. Eleven agreements were signed, between Ukrainian regions, cities and amalgamated communities with foreign partners.

 

Kyïv, Ukraine 18-20 April 2023
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