SME Project

Looking into the Future

Building on the experience gained and results achieved during the implementation of project UKR/99/010, it is suggested that so called Prosperity Programme would be launched, which would synergistically consolidate all the aspects of economic development aimed at poverty reduction. Among other important aspects of the programme, the following issues would be paid an increased attention:

• Based on the availability of 123 Local Investment Programs, which include 2,589 business plans for projects, focused on municipal social infrastructure within the framework of municipal strategic planning, it could be planned to undertake further steps in establishing contacts with potential donors for existing LIPs, as well as to develop more LIPs using the practices generated during the pilot phase.
• Based on the availability of procedures and tools for the implementation of Local Investment Programs, such as municipal letters of guarantee, securities, collateral, etc. it could be planned to develop policy recommendations in order to disseminate the successful practices nationwide.
• It could be also planned to further replicate the experiences on good practices of the local investment program development throughout Ukraine via organisation of nationwide conferences, round tables, and workshops.
• Building on achievements in the field of transboundary environmental cooperation with the nearboundary countries, such as Romania and Hungary, in solving common problems through sustainable businesses development, it could be planned to further extend such a cooperation with other nearboundary countries, as well as it is envisaged to deepen the existing contacts and bring them to the stage of joint project implementation.
• It would be envisaged to build on success of the pilot phase and widely utilize the information and communication technology in arranging adequate access to the information on best practices in sustainable development of human settlements in Ukraine and worldwide.
• According to the call of the President of Ukraine for reduction of regulation and taxation for small and medium-sized businesses in order to promote further successful formation of middle-class in Ukraine, it could be planned to contribute to policy-advice and formulation at the national and oblast levels with the emphasis on further economic reforms.