An agreement on partnership and cooperation was officially and solemnly signed between Malyn and the German city of Billerbeck.

The cities of Malyn and Billerbeck (Germany) signed an agreement on partnership and cooperation.

This was reported by Malyn Mayor Oleksandr Sytailo, who is in Germany on a working visit.

The mayor of Malyn and the mayor of Billerbeck, Marion Dirks, discussed the implementation plan for the new agreement.

Oleksandr Sytailo reported that there was a volunteer headquarters for helping Ukrainians in Billerbeck, about six hundred of whom now live on the territory of the German city.

“I am deeply touched by such a warm welcome, and I personally thank Marion Dirks, her team, the Billerbeck municipality and the residents for their hospitality. Undoubtedly, further friendship and developments will definitely benefit our municipalities,” said the mayor of Malyn.

Decentralization reminds that municipalities of Ukraine can use the International Municipal Partnership Guidelines to build communication with foreign municipalities and enter into twinning agreements. These Guidelines offer algorithms and practical advice on establishing a partnership, cases of successful partnerships, practical advice on customs clearance and accounting of various types of assistance that partners can exchange, information on how to choose partners, how to organise the work of competent professionals or division, as well as information on financing, bookkeeping and reporting and a lot of other useful information.

Based on these Guidelines, the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine developed the Partnership for Recovery and Development section of the Decentralization national portal, with the support of DECIDE (Decentralisation for Improved Democratic Education), a Swiss-Ukrainian project, and the U-LEAD with Europe Programme.

These Guidelines are based on the methodology of the Council of Europe, City to City Cooperation, and developed by the Council of Europe as part of the Programme “Decentralisation and Public Administration Reform in Ukraine” at the request of the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.