Decentralisation of Water Sector in Ukraine

Since 2000 Skat has been actively involved in programmes of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Ukraine. Through those engagements SDC and Skat are aware of the importance of decentralisation for the implementation of good governance and effective development.

The Swiss-Ukrainian Decentralisation support to Ukraine Project (DesPro) is facilitated by Skat and funded by SDC. Skat has established an office structure in Kyiv. Ukrainian key stakeholders hold the responsibility to actually implement the decentralisation process.

The aim of DesPro is to ensure the provision of effective and affordable services in the areas of water supply and in social services in the frame of decentralised structures. The aim of the first phase of the project (2007-2009) is the introduction of a replicable model of decentralised communal services at the rayon, village and municipal levels that is accepted and approved at oblast and national levels. At this stage DesPro focuses on three key objectives: 1) to improve skills of the local communities in identifying, planning, introducing and managing services; 2) to improve the ability of oblast, rayon, village and city authorities to plan, finance, implement and coordinate affordable services in a participatory and innovative manner; 3) to support the Government of Ukraine in development of a state programme on decentralisation and its task to coordinate and harmonise national policy initiatives.

DesPro’s target regions are Vinnytsya Oblast and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

> DesPro Website