Locations
Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, 9 November 2020 – Today, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the European Union transferred two mobile Administrative Service Centres (ASCs) to the Lyman amalgamated territorial community (ATC) in Donetsk Oblast and Troitske ATC in Luhansk Oblast (both in conflict-affected eastern Ukraine), allowing local people to obtain public services more quickly and easily.
The official transfer was organized by UNDP under the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP), with financial support from the European Union.
Frederik Coene, acting Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, said support for the people in the east of Ukraine, in particular on decentralisation and access to administrative services, has been one of the key areas of EU’s work in the region.
“Since 2016, we have established 16 stationary administrative service centres in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts,” Coene said. “The launch of six mobile centres – two last December, two in May, and two more today – has significantly expanded the outreach of stationary centres. These mobile centres help the elderly, people with disabilities, and residents from furthest locations access all needed services. I would like to highlight that these mobile centres are equipped with all the necessary functionalities and their staff has received professional training to provide quality administrative services.”
“It is also my pleasure to thank our partners from UNDP who are implementing European Union’s programmes on local governance and recovery in eastern Ukraine. I sincerely hope that the residents of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts will be satisfied with the new mobile administrative service centres,” added Coene.
The mobile ASC will provide services almost identical to those that are currently available at stationary centres. For example, people will be able to:
- apply for subsidies and receive help from the government;
- register their own business or real estate;
- obtain a child’s birth certificate;
- obtain a certificate showing they are parents of a large family, or a child from a large family;
- apply for and obtain a pension certificate, and;
- receive passport services.
Victor Munteanu, the manager of the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, said that the demand for accessible public services has been growing quite rapidly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.
“Even amidst these uncertain times, all people, and especially vulnerable populations living in the conflict-affected east of Ukraine, should benefit from unhindered access to administrative services without exposing themselves to unnecessary risks,” Munteanu said. “These newly launched mobile service centres will help ensure that. Along with the EU, we will continue our work in the conflict-affected region, providing vital support to the people and helping communities gradually recover and build forward better.”
Each mobile ASC has two working spaces for administrators, both equipped with computers, modern software, a portable server and internet access; and two mobile cases – one for providing administrative services and another for carrying out energy audits. The vehicles also have security cameras, GPS-navigation, two types of the autonomous heating systems, ventilation, air conditioning, the ability to connect to external energy sources, a bathroom with its own hot and cold water supply, a mobile elevator ramp for people with disabilities and low mobility groups, and a waiting area. The mobile ASCs are also equipped with remote working spaces for specialists from the pension fund, lawyers, and workers from the social security department, SES, and other services. The overall cost, including all of the equipment and training for the specialists, is US$ 115,000.
Demyd Palagno, Head of Troitske Amalgamated Territorial Community, said that the community started to closely cooperate with the UN in 2017 with the creation of a modern stationary ASC, which currently provides more than 180 administrative services.
“The mobile ASC is a continuation of the successful development story of the Troitske community, as the distance to remote villages is more than 40 kilometres. In these villages, more than 70 percent of the inhabitants are elderly persons. Therefore, the matter of administrative services is a real concern for them. Obtaining international technical assistance, namely the mobile ASC, is a step forward in the development of the Luhansk Oblast, as we plan to use it for neighbouring ATCs as well. I sincerely thank EU and UNDP for their close cooperation and support."
Petro Tsymidan, Head of Lyman ATC, said getting a mobile ASC for Lyman ATC was another significant event in the life of the community.
“Several events that have changed Lyman ATC are cooperation with EU and UNDP in the development of a stationary ASC in 2018, the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Municipalities of Estonia in 2019, and now – a mobile ASC,” Tsymidan said. “This is just great, because the Lyman ASC has already become a vital structure and business card of the Lyman community, and the mobile ASC will be a continuation of it and provide new opportunities for us. Thank you for creating a new history of Lyman ATC together with us.”
The new mobile ASCs will not only cover a wider territory and provide even more services to the people of Lyman and Troitske – they will also create an integrated system for rendering administrative services in eastern Ukraine.
Background
The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP) is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
Thirteen international partners support the Programme: the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland & the UK.
Media enquiries
Maksym Kytsiuk, Communications Associate, UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, maksym.kytsiuk@undp.org, +380 63 576 1839
