Government approves State Strategy for Regional Development for 2021-2027, prepared with the support of the EU

On Tuesday, August 13, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the State Strategy for Regional Development for 2021-2027, which is expected to become an effective tool for overcoming the consequences of the war, promoting recovery and moving closer to EU membership. This was reported by the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine.

Support for the preparation of the Strategy was provided by the European Commission, the EU Delegation and the EU-funded long-term programme U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine – Recovery and Rehabilitation, which is funded by the EU. The EU also provided comprehensive advisory and expert assistance. A significant contribution to updating the Strategy was made by the Key Donor Sectoral Working Group on Decentralisation and Regional Development, co-chaired by the EU, Switzerland and the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine.

By adopting the Strategy, the Government of Ukraine is implementing the recommendations of the Report under the 2023 EU Enlargement Package and the indicator of the Ukraine’s Plan for the 3rd quarter of 2024.

The EU supports the key vectors of the Strategy, including the reintegration of veterans with their families and the restoration of infrastructure, emphasising the need to ensure security, accessibility and consideration of the interests of citizens, including vulnerable groups.

Further work is planned to continue on the development of the Action Plan to the Strategy, which should contain concrete steps to implement the Strategy. In preparing this document, the EU will maintain an active dialogue with the Ministry of Recovery and other donors.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal noted that ‘The Government has updated the State Regional Development Strategy. We have updated it, taking into account the challenges of the war and the recommendations of the European Union. We set ourselves a number of ambitious goals. In particular, to create conditions for the return of Ukrainians home, restore and develop infrastructure, and increase the institutional and financial capacity of local governments. I am confident that this document will help Ukraine in the areas of decentralisation, recovery and sustainable regional development.’

Chargé d’Affaires, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Remi Duflot noted that the State Strategy for Regional Development is one of the key documents for ensuring sustainable development of Ukrainian regions and communities. The EU also looks forward to the further implementation of the recommendations of the latest European Commission Report within the framework of the Enlargement Package on regional policy, in close coordination with the processes of recovery and reconstruction, multi-level governance and territorially-oriented regional policy, taking into account the different impact of the war on the regions of Ukraine.