Meeting Invitation: The State of Decentralization Reform in Ukraine

Meeting Invitation: The State of Decentralization Reform in Ukraine
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and Global Communities are pleased to invite you to a working meeting on the state of the decentralization reform in Ukraine. The discussion will be held at the National Endowment for Democracy, 1025 F St, NW (8th floor), on Friday, September 14th, from 1:00-2:30pm.

Decentralization is arguably the most important reform being implemented by Ukraine’s post-Euromaidan government. The devolution of economic and political power to local governments is changing the relationship between the governing and governed, and is playing a key role in Ukraine’s transition into a functioning democracy. To date, over 800 newly-established communities have received greater authority and financial means to better respond to public needs and provide improved public services. The reform also has the potential to positively change political dynamics at the national level, as good governance and new political ideas penetrate upward.
Global Communities’ USAID-funded DOBRE program has been at the forefront of these efforts. By strengthening local governments and citizen engagement, the DOBRE program has opened the door for new local leaders to transform their communities. At this meeting, local elected officials from Ukraine will discuss the progress, impact, and obstacles regarding the decentralization reform in their communities.

Please RSVP to Danny Anderson (dannya@ned.org). Light refreshments will be served.
Speakers:

Petro Sehedii is Head of the Sofiyivska community in the Dnipropetrovsk Region. He graduated from the National University of Civil Protection in Kharkiv in 1996 after majoring in fire safety engineering. Mr. Sehedii served as Director Lieutenant Colonel with Ukraine’s State Emergency Service in the Dnipropetrovsk Region. Some of the decentralization achievements in his community include the improvement of street lighting and the use of more local and sustainable sources of heat. His goal is to develop a more prosperous community and comfortable life for the residents of Sofiyivska.

Ruslan Shafranovych is Head of the Ivanivska community in the Ternopil Region since 2015. In 1997, Mr. Shafranovych graduated from Ternopil National Economic University after majoring in economics. Through the decentralization reform, his community has improved street lighting and renovated schools and kindergartens. It is working to develop a centralized water supply for every home in Ivanivska and to open a milk production cooperative in the near future.

Discussant:
Yulia Yesmukhanova is the Deputy Chief of Party for Global Communities in Ukraine. Ms. Yesmukhanova has 15 years of experience working on democracy assistance and good governance projects in the country. She has worked on large-scale international development projects on civil society and capacity building, with a particular focus on anti-corruption and decentralization reforms. She has co-authored numerous policy research publications, including the Freedom House Nations in Transit Report for Ukraine 2018.

Moderator:
Vitaliy Shpak is currently the Program Officer handling the Ukraine portfolio at the National Endowment for Democracy. Mr. Shpak holds a law degree from Lviv University and has worked in the nongovernmental, state, and private sectors in Ukraine. He has served as advisor to the Minister of Education and was CEO of Plast, the National Scout Organization. As a Fulbright scholar he earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Maryland.