With two municipalities selected and five more to apply for innovation grants, Ukrainian municipalities are entering a new phase of the Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG) Facility

Kyiv, 29 December 2021 – Two Ukrainian cities, Mykolaiv and Ternopil, were selected for a “portfolio journey” aimed at urban development after the European Union (EU) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conducted a “Call for Interest: Portfolios for Municipal Transformations” for Eastern Partnership (EaP) municipalities, including ones in Ukraine.

The Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) and UNDP Selection Committee endorsed the two Ukrainian municipalities out of four nominees. Moreover, five Ukrainian cities – Lviv, Melitopol, Poltava, Sumy, and Trostianets – will be able to apply for innovation grants amounting to EUR 60,000.

Head of Section "Economic Cooperation, Energy, Infrastructure and Environment" of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine Chloe Allio said that thanks to the programme, these cities will develop their potential, strategic thinking and chances for faster recovery after the crisis through piloting complex solutions and new instruments of municipal development and resilience.

“We congratulate the proactive Ukrainian cities who used the opportunity to get additional educational, innovative and financial support under the competitive selection process of the new EC-UNDP programme,” said Allio.

UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine Dafina Gercheva said Ukrainian municipalities are eager to work on improving their systemic efficiency and effectiveness to create more resilient, sustainable and attractive spaces.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic, the issues that local authorities face have become more pronounced,” said Gercheva. “This highlights the ‘radical uncertainty’ that local authorities and people in the region face, and the need for new tools and approaches to better manage and respond to residents’ needs. The M4EG is perceived as a sandbox to explore new ways of building sustainable livelihoods. Civic imagination, gender planning, and innovative solutions are not a silver bullet, but are still an essential element in building resilient municipalities.”

Cities in the M4EG network can benefit from learning, training and knowledge exchange activities focused on developing innovative growth strategies that are highly contextualised and build on local ecosystems. Selected local authorities will benefit from new capabilities and access to funding, including an Annual Portfolio Call for Interests and an Annual Innovation Call for Proposals.

Background:

In 2021, the European Union and UNDP launched the a phase of the Mayors for Economic Growth Facility (M4EG) in six EaP countries, including Ukraine. The facility aims to boost sustainable and green development, strengthen local authorities’ capacities, enhance inclusive economic growth, develop urban innovations, and pilot a “portfolio approach” for better city governance, with tangible benefits to citizens.

For media enquiries:

●        Anton Sydorenko, M4EG Facility Communications Lead, anton.sydorenko@undp.org