Back The Congress strengthens co-operation with the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the City of Kyiv

Kyiv, Ukraine 21 April 2023
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The Congress strengthens co-operation with the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the City of Kyiv

On 19 April 2023 during the Congress High-level Visit to Ukraine, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC) to strengthen efforts for joint advocacy and support to local authorities in Ukraine.

“After more than a year of war, we can confirm that local authorities represent a key ingredient of Ukraine’s resilience and that national associations, in particular the Association of Ukrainian Cities, play a vital role in this regard. They should be, together with local authorities, an integral part of reforms and national crisis management” said Congress President Verbeek during the meeting with the Chair of the AUC and Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko.

Secretary General Mathieu Mori highlighted that this third MoU between the Congress and the AUC since 2018, establishes a framework for even stronger co-operation and synergies towards sustainable development of Ukrainian territories and local authorities.  

In this context, the City of Kyiv and the Congress organised jointly the Summit of Open Civic Hubs - The power of Partnership in Kyiv on 20 April. “The Congress stands by local and regional authorities in Ukraine who are willing to engage further by transcending the traditional forms of policymaking, making sure that all residents of your communities have a say and get involved in local political, social and cultural life”, stressed Secretary General Mori at the opening with Vitali Klitschko.  

Congress Thematic spokesperson on European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), Bryony Rudkin, United Kingdom (SOC/G/PD), joined the panel discussion with examples of good practice on citizen hubs in her country. “The local level remains the bedrock of a resilient and vibrant participatory democracy in Ukraine”, she stressed while praising the experiences of local partnerships presented at the Summit by local authorities across the country, pees in other European countries and representatives of civil society. She encouraged Ukrainian local authorities to apply to the 2023 edition of the ELDW and to involve even more local residents from all groups of the population into social and political life and through innovative forms of participation.

The events were organised as part of the project “Strengthening multi-level governance, democracy and human rights at local level in Ukraine” implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026. The project aims to strengthen the dialogue, partnership, and consultation between different levels of government; enhance collaborative governance and citizen participation in line with the principles of local democracy and open government; and promote and guarantee the right to equality and non-discrimination at local level, for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

Action Plan 2023-2026


 

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