The order of the Oblast State Administration or the resolution of the Oblast Council on the establishment of the regional development agency has already been made in 21 Oblasts (Regions), which agency will assist the local authorities to implement regional strategies. Such agencies have even been registered in 10 Oblasts, whereas no efforts in this regard have been made in three Oblasts so far.

It was reported so by First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine Viacheslav Nehoda.

"The main objective of establishment of a regional development agency is to enhance the institutional capacity of Oblasts for their development, increase the investment potential of regions. The agency is the centre of cooperation between the government, private and public sectors. It operates as an office providing consultations and practical assistance in the course of preparation and implementation of programmes and projects for regional development. At the local level, they are becoming more aware of the important role assigned to such agencies and what powerful assistance they may offer to the regions", Viacheslav Nehoda said.

The Regional Development Agencies have already been registered in 10 Oblasts: Vinnytsia, Volynska, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Luhansk, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Chernivtsi. 

The order of the Oblast State Administration or the resolution of the Oblast Council on the establishment of the agency has already been made in additional 11 Oblasts: Zhytomyr, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivskl, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Rivne, Sumy, Kherson, and Chernihiv. 

So far, no decision on the establishment of agencies has been made in Mykolaiv, Ternopil, and Kharkiv Oblasts.

The Ministry of Regional Development, with the assistance of the Ukrainian Institute for International Policy, prepared a short presentation on the essence, objectives, functions, sources of financing, and consumers of Regional Development Agencies in Ukraine and worldwide.

It is a reminder that the organisational and legal status of the agency, its substantial rights and functions, management bodies, and sources of financing are determined by the government document - Resolution No. 258  "On Approval of a Model Regulation on the Regional Development Agency".

In general, the activities of the Regional Development Agencies are governed by the Law of Ukraine "On the Principles of State Regional Policy".