UNDP and newly appointed heads of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast administrations sign memorandums of understanding

July 22, 2019

Photo: Artem Getman / UNDP Ukraine

Kramatorsk, July 22, 2019 – UNDP in Ukraine and the heads of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts signed memorandums of understanding in Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, on July 22, with the aim of extending and enhancing their work together.

The Head of Donetsk Oblast State Administration, Oblast Military-Civil Administration – Pavlo Kyrylenko, the Head of Luhansk Oblast State Administration, Oblast Military-Civil Administration – Vitalii Komarnytskyi and UNDP’s Resident Representative in Ukraine – Dafina Gercheva signed the documents, which aim to enhance UNDP and the oblasts’ overall partnership and its effectiveness in all joint areas of cooperation.

The partners have set common targets for scaling up the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals at the regional and local levels. The key priority areas to be covered collectively within the MoU are: reform of local self-governance and territorial organization; economic growth in hromadas; engaging civil society in local development to a much broader extend; bettering access to security and justice; promoting economic recovery in local governance and self-governance; boosting energy efficiency at the local level; contributing to setting in motion a fully functioning regional health system at the oblast and local levels.

The authorities of both Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts authorities expressed high appreciation for UNDP’s coordination efforts in recovery and development work. They stressed its effectiveness, and praised the role UNDP has been playing as an integrator, bringing developments actors together to work on sustainable development initiatives.  

“I express my greatest appreciation to UNDP for the continuous support provided to the people of Donetsk Oblast, and for the programmes being implemented to regain peace and stability,” said Donetsk head Kyrylenko at the signing ceremony. “UNDP is one of the best leading international organizations in terms of coordinated activity with the government at oblast level. I firmly believe this is how it will continue. Together we can achieve even more.”

His counterpart from Luhansk Viltalii Komarnytskyi stressed the critical importance of this cooperation for the key priority areas listed in the MoU, and invited UNDP in Ukraine head Gercheva to visit Luhansk Oblast to deepen the discussion about pressing issues in the region.

Gercheva stressed the need for joint work to achieve further progress.

“I’m convinced that we will further continue our fruitful cooperation with the Donetsk and Luhansk oblast authorities to ensure the rapid recovery of eastern Ukraine, building a lasting peace and improving the lives of people who have been affected by the armed conflict,” Gercheva said. “A lot has been done, but there are many more challenges ahead of us to overcome. This can be only done together through coordinated and effective cooperation.”

Signing the MoU, all sides said how much they appreciated each other’s efforts, and discussed the key first steps to be taken in the region within the UNDP’s projects, in particular under the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, which UNDP is implementing in eastern Ukraine together with three sister UN Agencies.

Media inquiries: 

Yuliia Samus, Communication Specialist, UNDP Ukraine, communications.ukraine@undp.orgYuliia.Samus@undp.org

UNDP and newly appointed heads of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast administrations sign MoU, Kramatorsk, July 22, 2019