On 5 September 2025, in Kyiv, the Polaris Programme “Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine” held a roundtable for board members, office management, and experts of nationwide associations of local self-government bodies: the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities, the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils, and the All-Ukrainian Association of Amalgamated Communities.
The event became another step in advancing democratic, member-driven local government associations – one of the programme’s priority areas.
“When we talk about multilevel governance, we mean a transparent distribution of powers between the national, regional, and local levels, as well as clear coordination mechanisms between them. This is critical both for continuing decentralisation and for Ukraine’s European integration. The role of local government associations is key here: they consolidate the requests of hromadas, align positions, conduct dialogue with the Government and Parliament, and help integrate European approaches into daily practice,” said Susanna Dellans, Team Leader of the Polaris Programme Team and SALAR International Representative in Ukraine.
At this stage of decentralisation reform, delineating powers between different levels of local self-government and executive authorities remains one of the key tasks for the associations of local self-government bodies. The Polaris Programme supports the associations’ dialogue to develop a consolidated position on this issue.
“Today we see that without joint work of local self-government bodies, state institutions, and associations, it is impossible to properly regulate the issue of delineating powers. For us, it is crucial that the new draft law not only eliminates gaps and overlaps but also establishes real mechanisms for hromada development. That is why the position of the associations must be consolidated, as the effectiveness of further decentralisation and Ukraine’s successful EU integration depend on it,” noted Taras Dobrivskyi, Executive Director of the All-Ukrainian Association of Amalgamated Communities.
During the roundtable, participants worked on modelling the organisation and delivery of high-quality sectoral services, particularly in education and healthcare, through the distribution of powers involving different levels of local self-government. The event demonstrated that communication between local government associations is an effective tool for developing a common position on the future of local self-government in Ukraine.
Фото: Всеукраїнська Асоціація ОТГ
