Kyiv, 8 November 2018 – A contribution of EUR 25 million from the European Union marks the beginning of a new phase of the “EU Support to the east of Ukraine – Recovery, Peacebuilding and Governance, 2018-2022” project, to be jointly implemented by four agencies: UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA, FAO as part of the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme.
The initiative aims to strengthen community security and social cohesion, support the economic recovery of conflict-affected communities, as well as further the implementation of the decentralization and healthcare reforms in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
In words of Johannes Hahn, the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, “supporting Ukraine to build stable democratic institutions and become more prosperous is one of the priorities of the European Neighbourhood Policy. We are confident that this project will make a successful and tangible contribution to this end.”
Despite much progress achieved, conflict-affected regions of Ukraine continue to face substantial obstacles to building socio-economically developed, peaceful, inclusive and resilient communities. Decentralization and reform efforts are moving at a slow pace, and inconsistency in legislation is amplifying discrimination against marginalized groups. Closure of enterprises, the economic blockade, damage to critical infrastructure, endemic unemployment, and prices and poverty rising faster than the national average are some of the key contributing factors. This has had a negative impact on food security and people’s ability to meet basic needs. In this context, support will be provided in the areas of decentralization and local governance, boosting economic development and employment opportunities, strengthening social resilience and public security. Special attention will be paid to providing inclusive and quality healthcare services in the context of healthcare system reform.
“This comprehensive support for the communities affected by the conflict will pave the way for their recovery and further sustainable development. The project is also bringing different United Nations agencies together with their strong expertise in providing much-needed assistance for the benefit of the people of Ukraine”, said Osnat Lubrani, UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine.
The United Nations and the European Union are continuing their long-term partnership in the areas of recovery, peacebuilding and local governance reform. Both parties intend to further strengthen their cooperation in Ukraine, including promoting the implementation of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Contact person: Yuliia Samus, Communication Specialist, UNDP Ukraine, +38 097 139 14 75, yuliia.samus@undp.org
UNFPA in Ukraine: Alona Zubchenko, UNFPA, + 38096-506-55-88, zubchenko@unfpa.org
