USAID Hopes for Quick LED Project Results in Chernivtsi

On June 20, 2006, the USAID Local Economic Development (LED) project and the Chernivtsi City Rada signed a Letter of Intent to develop a competitiveness strategy for the Bukovina capital. The document was signed by LED Project Chief of Party Howard Ockman and Chernivtsi Mayor Mykola Fedoruk.

To carry out tasks of the project, Chernivtsi has formed an Expert Committee of Bukovina-renowned economic scientists, managers of enterprises, leaders of NGO’s, specialists, and City Rada members.

Mr. Ockman said, “The task of the Local Economic Development project is to help the local community, by combining efforts of the city government, business circles and civil society institutions, think strategically about the future of their city and ensure its development so that children and grandchildren of today’s Chernivtsi residents will be interested to live and work here. I’m pleased to mention that, based on the finding of a Ukrainian cities competitiveness study, Chernivtsi occupies one of the top positions. Therefore, USAID hopes to achieve quick results of the project activities in Chernivtsi.”

Mr. Fedoruk expressed his hope that Chernivtsi’s participation in the project will give momentum to the city’s development. He said Chernivtsi is one of few Ukrainian cities that have entered the project not empty-handed but with a Strategic Development Plan and an Investment Attraction Program, both elaborated by local scientists and economic practitioners to high scientific standards, as well as a framework of other regulatory acts that spur economic development of the community. According to the mayor, assistance to Chernivtsi under the (LED) project will be effective, since both the community and the city government have already made first steps and keep on working toward economic development strategic planning for the oblast center.