On 11–12 August, Kyiv hosted the two-day workshop “The Future of the Kryvyi Rih Agglomeration and Mechanisms for Community Integration”, bringing together representatives of national and local government, as well as experts, to develop a shared vision for the future of the Kryvyi Rih region. The event was held within the framework of the KRYTSIA: Support for the Recovery of Kryvyi Rih Raion project, funded by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and implemented by LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency, in partnership with Proman and NDI.
The workshop brought together heads and representatives of communities from Kryvyi Rih Raion, Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Hanzha, Members of Parliament of Ukraine Oleksandr Aliksiichuk and Dmytro Mykysha, representatives of the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, representatives of the Kryvyi Rih city and raion authorities, experts, and the team behind the Lviv Agglomeration, who shared their experience of intermunicipal cooperation.
Over the course of two days, participants discussed both the need to establish the agglomeration and the practical mechanisms for making it work. The workshop resulted in a shared vision for the future development of the Kryvyi Rih region, agreed principles for cooperation among communities, and priority areas for future joint action.
These priorities include the development of water supply systems and engineering infrastructure, strengthening energy resilience, environmental protection and waste management, economic development, transport connectivity, social services, and support for veterans.
One of the central themes of the workshop was the very nature of an agglomeration. Participants repeatedly emphasized that it is not about changing the administrative structure or limiting the powers of local communities, but about creating a voluntary partnership among equal communities.
“An agglomeration is an equal partnership. It is shared responsibility, shared challenges, shared solutions, shared success, and shared results,” said Member of Parliament of Ukraine Oleksandr Aliksiichuk.
Matthias Morgner, Deputy Team Leader of the KRYTSIA: Support for the Recovery of Kryvyi Rih Raion project, stressed that the project’s role is simply to provide a platform for such cooperation.
“The agglomeration is your decision, your mechanism, your platform.”
The key outcome of the workshop was that 14 out of 15 communities of Kryvyi Rih Raion confirmed their readiness to join the process of establishing the Kryvyi Rih Agglomeration.
The next steps will focus on developing a joint portfolio of projects, establishing coordination mechanisms among communities, and turning strategic agreements into concrete joint initiatives.
The KRYTSIA: Support for the Recovery of Kryvyi Rih Raion project, funded by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, will continue to support the communities as a facilitation and expert partner on their path toward building an effective Kryvyi Rih Agglomeration.
