The Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has partnered with the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service in holding the Annual Richelieu Public Service Forum. The event is taking place in Kyiv on 24-26 September. This year’s theme of the Forum is “Human rights are more than just a declaration. They are critical for high-quality public services”.

“Further designing and implementing the Public Administration Reform in Ukraine through the prism of human rights is of paramount significance. This approach is fundamental for securing peace, stability, and a democratic future for Europe,” emphasised Congress Director Claudia Luciani addressing the Forum participants during its opening.

The Council of Europe with its Centre of Expertise has been one of the main advisors to the National Agency and other Ukrainian partners on elaborating the new Law on local public service and preparation for its implementation, which had not yet taken the effect because of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression. Furthermore, the Congress has had a long-standing commitment to protecting and promoting human rights at local level. This complex work is continued through the project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine's recovery”, implemented in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026.