DEVELOPMENT
OF MUNICIPALITIES:
Kyiv, Ukraine online
Trust, Institutions, Finance and People
Registration
Join us at the biggest event on the topic of regional and local
development, organised by U-LEAD with Europe Programme. Two
intensive days for discussion, knowledge exchange, and sharing bold,
innovative ideas on key regional and local development challenges,
relevant for both Ukrainian and international audience.
About International Expert Exchange 2020
Why now?

The local self-government and decentralisation reform in Ukraine has dramatically
changed the landscape for design and implementation of regional and local
development policy. After the October 2020 local elections, the country functions in a
new set-up where 1,469 municipalities have responsibilities & resources allowing them
to exercise their right for self-governance, and be able to plan, invest and implement
development projects.

From 2021 onwards, Ukraine will embark on its new regional development policy cycle,
based on the new State Regional Development Strategy approved by the Government in
August 2020, to be followed by its Action Plan and new regional planning documents. These
important national developments took place during a major crisis caused by the COVID-19
pandemic.

With the administrative-territorial structure of sub-national government settled, and the
transfer of powers and funding to the local level over the last 4-5 years, now is the time
to focus on how these structures and powers can be used to boost development. This
raises myriad issues about the roles of institutions, people, finance, and last but far from
least, trust in public administration.

What
to expect?

At the International Expert Exchange, we would like to focus on the topics which, in our
opinion, would be crucial for development policies in Ukraine and worldwide. We would like
to turn our attention to some of the very basic concepts of development and give
them a fresh and thought-provoking look in the light of the new circumstances.

The programme will be organised around the key concepts highlighted in the title of the
2020 International Expert Exchange. These concepts constitute the three thematic
pillars of the conference:

  • Pillar 1
    Institutions and governance
  • Pillar 2
    Finance and responsibilities
  • Pillar 3
    People and trust
Highlights
  • 3
    Keynote addresses
  • 2
    Panel discussions
  • 3
    Workshops
  • 1
    Interview
  • 12
    Countries
  • 2
    Working languages
Agenda
Thu 10 Dec
Fri 11 Dec

10:00

Opening and Welcome

  • Representative of the Government of Ukraine, (TBC)
  • Matti Maasikas, EU Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine
  • Bastian Veigel, GIZ Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

10:20

Explanation of the flow of the conference, workshops, interaction and engagement facilities, online material

  • Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

10:30 – 11:45

Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

    The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
  1. Representative of the Government of Ukraine , (TBC)
  2. Matti Maasikas, EU Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine
  3. Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Ukraine
  4. Anka Feldhusen, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine
  5. Tomaž Mencin, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine
  6. Moderator: Bastian Veigel, GIZ Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

    The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
  • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
  • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

    Mr Katainen strongly believes that the crisis has created an opportunity, and a strong urgency, to change our ways for the better. The important questions we must ask ourselves include: Can we stimulate ecological reconstruction? What means of power and use of information do we want to support? How can we reduce inequality and increase trust? How can we reform the economy to be sustainable? And on what conditions do we want to deploy technology? The answers to these questions, coming from a former Prime Minister and EU Commissioner, will certainly encourage you to think outside the box, and hopefully not only for the duration of this session
  • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
  • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

    The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
  • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
  • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

    The amalgamation of villages and towns into larger municipalities introduced a set of institutional changes to Ukraine, but the challenge now is to refine them and make them work for development. Speakers will provide their views and recommendations on several aspects of this challenge. One is to make local institutions stronger and more resilient, and to clearly separate the roles of state administration and self-government institutions. If this is the 'vertical' coordination challenge, the 'horizontal' one is to encourage cooperation and solidarity between hromadas of different economic fortunes and structures. The underlying theme to both of these challenges is achieving the standards of good governance at the local level and improving the quality of services provided to citizens.
  1. Gregor Virant, Director of OECD SIGMA
  2. Nataliia Shapoval, Head of KSE Institute at Kyiv School of Economics
  3. Reto Steiner, Dean of ZHAW School of Management and Law
  4. Wolfgang Drechsler, Professor of Governance at Tallinn University of Technology
  5. Viktor Tymoshchuk, Chief Expert, U-LEAD with Europe Programme’s support to improved administrative service delivery

    6. Moderator: Janez Šušteršič, U-LEAD with Europe Programme expert on political economy, former Minister of Finance of Slovenia
    Rapporteur: Yelyzaveta Zhukovska, Advisor at Regional Operations Unit of U-LEAD with Europe Programme

Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

    The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
  • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
  • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe


  • Anthony Levitas, Senior Fellow at Watson Institute, Brown University
  • Georg Milbradt, Special Envoy of the German Government for decentralization, good governance and public service reforms in Ukraine
  • Oleksandr Slobozhan, Executive Director of Association of Ukrainian Cities
  • Vahe Vardanyan, Lead Financial Sector Specialist. The World Bank Group
  • Iryna Ozymok, Local economic development program manager at Western NIS Enterprise Fund

    • Moderator: Thomas Meyer, Сoordinator of Good Governance Cluster at GIZ Ukraine
    Rapporteur: Iain Mackie, Principal Strategy Advisor to the GIZ Programme Director, U-LEAD with Europe

    Increased responsibilities of local self-governments regarding provision of services and local development must be matched with sufficient financial resources. The session will discuss the main sources of revenues for the municipalities, their shortcomings and opportunities. This will include the own source revenues (for example, personal income tax), support available from international development partners such as the World Bank Group, and the opportunities to engage private sector financing. The speakers will provide an overview of available sources and how to make the best use of them.

    Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

      The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
    • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
    • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe


  • Lazar Dzamic, Xoogler, creative strategist and university lecturer

    • Moderator: Helge Arends, Team Leader, U-LEAD with Europe Programme

    A new and better society has new and better narratives. We have to keep them in mind when we transform a country. Those narratives are nothing else but new forms of literacies much required for understanding and behaving in the modern world - a loud, confusing, constantly shifting place. This talk is about six of those narratives that should help us build a better, more equal and more collaborative world.

    • Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, Princesa de Asturias Professor & Professor of Economic Geography, Director, Cañada Blanch Centre, London School of Economics
    • Moderator: Janez Šušteršič, U-LEAD with Europe Programme expert on political economy, former Minister of Finance of SloveniaProfessor Rodriguez-Pose is one of the leading scholars and advisors to many international institutions on regional development policies. His main message is that development is not (only) about money. Institutions and the quality of governance matter more. Results of regional and local development policies differ strongly between countries and territories with good and poor governance – and not always in the expected way. For example, one of his studies found that in lower quality governance countries, a more decentralised government can increase the overall satisfaction with life, the economy, government, democracy and the provision of education, but not necessarily with health-related services. You wonder how this may apply to Ukraine? You will know after listening to this keynote.

    Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

      The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
    • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
    • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe



  • Monica Brezzi, Head of Division for Governance Indicators and Performance Evaluation at OECD
  • Sophia Opatska, Founding Dean of Lviv Business School, Vice Rector Academic Affairs at the Ukrainian Catholic University.
  • Olena Styazhkina, Philosopher, historian at National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
  • Andriy Kolomiytsev, Head of Pryuitivska hromada (Ukraine)

    • Moderator: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Philosopher, writer, lecturer at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
    Rapporteur: Tetyana Tatarchuk, Head of U-LEAD with Europe Chernivtsi Regional Office

    Quite often, it is said that in Ukraine there is a lack of trust. However, is this really the case? We believe that one should approach this question from a different perspective: there is a trust, however, it is not equally distributed. From time to time, Ukrainian society radically suffers from a lack of trust, as well from its radical abundance. We need to find the models of communication between citizens, institutions as well as citizens & institutions which will ensure a sufficient level of trust and a critical thinking. This balance is difficult to achieve. In this panel, we will address the challenges of trust in Ukraine as well as in other countries; we will talk about the role of trust for development: should it be a single hromada or entire country.

    Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

      The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
    • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
    • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe


  • Yulia Fediv, Executive Director of Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, Head of Creative Europe Desk Ukraine
  • Yuriy Fylyuk, CEO of Promprylad.Renovation, founder of Teple Misto platform in Ivano-Frankivsk
  • Andrii Zakalyuk, History teacher and director "Lvivskyi" lyceum of Lviv City Council
  • Vladimir Prebilič, Mayor of Kočevje municipality; Vice President of the Local Self-Government Association (Slovenia), lecturer
  • Valeria Ionan, 5. Valeria Ionan

    • Moderator: Mariana Semenyshyn, Team Leader, Sustainable Development Unit of U-LEAD with Europe Programme
    Rapporteur: Yaryna Stepanyuk, Advisor, Sustainable Development Unit of U-LEAD with Europe Programme

    How important is social capital for development? What is the role of culture, education, social entrepreneurship in Ukraine’s development vision? What is the power of community mobilisation, and formal and informal networks in ensuring cohesive development? In this workshop, we gathered speakers who will showcase their stories of investment into the most precious and, very often, overlooked element – people.

    Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

      The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
    • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
    • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

    • Larysa Denysenko, Ukrainian writer, lawyer, public activist (TBC)

      • Interviewer: Volodymyr Yermolenko, Philosopher, writer, lecturer at Kyiv-Mohyna Academy

    Panel discussion: “Governance and Institutional Support for Development”

      The panel will address the plans of the Ukrainian government and the international development partners on how they will support development of the new municipalities. MinRegion will present the plans to upgrade the functioning of the State Regional Development Fund and the upcoming process of the implementation of the State Strategy for Regional Development and its Action Plan. Representatives of EU Member States, which have been supporting the local self-government and decentralisation process through the U-LEAD with Europe programme, will elaborate the focus of their support in the upcoming period, and their expectations towards the municipalities and the government.
    • Jyrki Katainen, President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA
    • Moderator: Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

    Kyiv, Ukraine online

    International Expert Exchange

    Development of Municipalities: Trust, Institutions, Finance, and People
    10-11 December 2020

    Registration
    Speakers
    Andrés Rodríguez-Pose

    Princesa de Asturias Professor & Professor of Economic Geography, Director, Cañada Blanch Centre, London School of Economics

    Jyrki Katainen

    President of Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA

    Lazar Džamić

    Xoogler, creative strategist and university lecturer

    Denys Shmyhal

    Prime Minister of Ukraine

    Matti Maasikas

    EU Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine

    Anka Feldhusen

    Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine

    Ole Egberg Mikkelsen

    Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Ukraine

    Tomaž Mencin

    Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine

    Georg Milbradt

    Special Envoy of the German Government for decentralisation, good governance and public service reforms in Ukraine

    Oleksiy Chernyshov

    Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine

    Bastian Veigel

    GIZ Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

    Gregor Virant

    Director of OECD SIGMA

    Sophia Opatska

    Founding Dean of Lviv Business School, Vice Rector Academic Affairs at the Ukrainian Catholic University.

    Wolfgang Drechsler

    Professor of Governance at TalTech at Tallinn University of Technology

    Vladimir Prebilič

    Mayor of Kočevje municipality; Vice President of the Local Self-Government Association (Slovenia), lecturer

    Yuliia Fediv

    Executive Director of Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, Head of Creative Europe Desk Ukraine

    Reto Steiner

    Dean of ZHAW School of Management and Law

    Monica Brezzi

    Head of Division for Governance Indicators and Performance Evaluation at OECD

    Vahe Vardanyan

    Lead Financial Sector Specialist at World Bank

    Anthony Levitas

    Senior Fellow at Watson Institute, Brown University

    Yuriy Fylyuk

    CEO of Promrylad.Renovation, founder of Teple Misto platform in Ivano-Frankivsk

    Nataliia Shapoval

    Head of KSE Institute at Kyiv School of Economics

    Oleksandr Slobozhan

    Executive director of Association of Ukrainian Cities

    Andriy Kolomiytsev

    Head of Pryuitivska hromada (Ukraine)

    Olena Styazhkina

    Philosopher and historian at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

    Andrii Zakalyuk

    History teacher and director "Lvivskyi" lyceum of Lviv City Council

    Larysa Denysenko

    Ukrainian writer, lawyer, public activist

    Viktor Tymoschuk

    Chief expert in improving the provision of administrative services to the population at U-LEAD with Europe Programme

    Volodymyr Yermolenko

    Philosopher, writer and lecturer at Kyiv-Mohyna Academy

    Iryna Ozymok

    Local Economic Development Program Manager at Western NIS Enterprise Fund

    Moderators
    Janez Šušteršič

    U-LEAD with Europe Programme expert on political economy, former Minister of Finance of Slovenia

    Helge Arends

    Team Leader, U-LEAD with Europe programme

    Andrej Horvat

    GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

    Mariana Semenyshyn

    Team Leader, Sustainable Development Unit of U-LEAD with Europe programme

    Thomas Meyer

    Good Governance Cluster Coordinator at GIZ Ukraine

    Even after 20 years, teaching the Siena frescoes of Good and Bad Governance and their effects on city and countryside never, ever gets boring - and Lorenzetti's art is as immediate and "relevant" as it has been since the 1330s

    Prof. Wolfgang Drechsler Professor of Governance at TalTech at Tallinn University of Technology

    Even after 20 years, teaching the Siena frescoes of Good and Bad Governance and their effects on city and countryside never, ever gets boring - and Lorenzetti's art is as immediate and "relevant" as it has been since the 1330s

    Prof. Wolfgang Drechsler Professor of Governance at TalTech at Tallinn University of Technology
    International Expert Exchange Board

    Board Chair:

    • Bastian Veigel, GIZ Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe

    Technical Chairs:

    • Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe
    • Mariana Semenyshyn, Team Leader, Sustainable Development Unit of U-LEAD with Europe
    • Yaryna Stepanyuk, Advisor, Sustainable Development Unit of U-LEAD with Europe

    Organisational U-LEAD with Europe Task Force:

    • Board Chair:
    • Bastian Veigel, GIZ Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe
    • Technical Chairs:
    • Andrej Horvat, GIZ Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe
    • Mariana Semenyshyn, Team Leader, Sustainable Development Unit of U-LEAD with Europe
    • Yaryna Stepanyuk, Advisor, Sustainable Development Unit
    • Organisational U-LEAD with Europe Task Force:
    • Helge Arends, Team Leader; Planning, Monitoring and Communications Unit
    • Vadym Boiko, E-learning Advisor; Planning, Monitoring and Communications Unit
    • Roman Paliukh, Social Media & Visibility Adviser; Planning, Monitoring and Communications Unit
    • Dmytro Prokopchuk, Visibility and Communications Advisor; Planning, Monitoring and Communications Unit
    • Kristina Chelmakina, Local Development Advisor, Sustainable Development Unit
    • Iyevgen Dukhovych, Senior Advisor on Reform Communications and Dialogue, Sustainable Development Unit
    • Tetyana Fastovets, Travel and Events Coordinator; Programme Management Unit
    • Maksym Meshkovoi, Contract and Procurement Officer, Programme Management Unit
    • Tetyana Tatarchuk, Head of U-LEAD with Europe Chernivtsi Regional Office, Regional Operations Unit
    • Iaroslava Tulku, Strategic Management Advisor; Multi-level Governance Unit
    • Yelyzaveta Zhukovska, Technical Advisor on Administrative Services, Regional Operations Unit
    • Andriana Zmysla, Municipal Services and Citizen Engagement Advisor; Sustainable Development Unit
    • Technical support:
    • Evgenia Skalyha, Designer

    Contacts
    Yaryna Stepanyuk yaryna.stepanyuk@giz.de
    About
    U-LEAD with Europe

    U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine - Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development programme is a multi-donor action of the European Union and its member states, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and Sweden. The programme operates in all 24 regions of Ukraine to strengthen municipalities in their work to improve living conditions of their residents and service delivery at the local level under the decentralisation reform. U-LEAD provides specialised training and consultations for Ukrainian municipalities (hromadas), conducts local and international study trips and experience exchange events, implements local development projects in various sectors of hromadas' life, communicates the decentralisation reform to the citizens, cooperates closely with Ukrainian line ministries to improve regional development in Ukraine, and contributes to the formation of an efficient multi-level governance strengthening hromadas' capability.

    About International Expert Exchange 2019
    On 13 December 2019, the U-LEAD with Europe programme brought together policymakers, national and international experts, and academia at the International Expert Exchange conference "Empowering Municipalities. Building resilient and sustainable local self-government". The event took place at the House of Decentralisation in Kyiv and focused on the issues of the territorial reform, local self-government and socio-economic development. Furthermore, foreign guests of the conference presented a number of practical European reform cases. Overall, around 150 participants actively took part in the event.
    Donors and partners