USAID project for Ukrainian decentralization reform extended to another 15 communities in Chernigov, Sumy regions

MOSCOW. July 13 (Interfax) - The Governance and Local Accountability Activity (Hoverla) project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support the Ukrainian decentralization reform has been extended to another 15 territorial communities in the Chernigov and Sumy regions, Ukrainian media reported with reference to the Ministry for the Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure (Reconstruction Ministry).

"We look forward to productive and practical cooperation between the ministry and the Hoverla project for an efficient, speedy, and accountable recovery affecting not only infrastructure but also the development of public institutions," the ministry quoted Deputy Prime Minister and Reconstruction Minister Alexander Kubrakov as saying.

Project experts are to draw up an individual support plan for every territorial community based on the assessment of their solvency and IT audit and will provide advisory and methodological assistance in implementing communities' initiatives, the ministry said in the statement.

Local self-government bodies will be able to use an in-kind procurement tool and local nongovernmental organizations will receive access to grant programs, it said.

USAID's Governance and Local Accountability Activity (Hoverla) has been implemented since 2021 in 65 Ukrainian territorial communities in the Lvov, Odessa, Poltava, Rovno, Volyn, Zakarpattia, and Zhitomir regions.