On January, 31, the HOVERLA USAID Project held a Forum to define the priorities of the Verkhovna Rada legislative agenda in the sphere of decentralization and local self-government development for 2022. The Forum involved over 300 participants, including people’s deputies, local self-government bodies’ heads, representatives of local self-government and the Government of Ukraine.

In his welcome address Marc Ellingstad, the Director of USAID Democracy and Governance Office, emphasized:

«Today’s event is aimed at facilitating the discussion of needs and challenges, faced by municipalities, as well as the possibilities for the Government and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to consider those needs and challenges while drafting the 2022 legislative agenda. USAID in partnership with Ukraine and its citizens has been investing in the Ukrainian democracy for almost thirty years. We believe that decentralization spread, having been achieved lately, is the climax of the partnership, with decentralization being one of the most significant and successful reforms in Ukraine».