A regional meeting of the Association of Cities of Ukraine took place in Odessa. The meeting was chaired by the Mayor of Odessa, Gennady Trukhanov. The executive director of the Association, Oleksandr Slobozhan, and advisor to the head of the Association, Oksana Prodan, also participated in the event.
 
The main aim of the meeting was to discuss critical local governance issues, specifically:

• challenging aspects of budget policies and financial processes;  
• prospects for creating agglomerations as a tool for regional development;  
• changes in legislation, including the repeal of the Commercial Code and the introduction of a usufruct mechanism;  
• ways to attract investments, particularly through the European Investment Platform Ukraine Facility.  

 
The importance of community unity and cohesion was also emphasized.

«The strength of our communities lies in our unity. Cohesion empowers us to face any challenges. We witness daily the difficulties our residents encounter and feel their need for support. Local governance builds a strong foundation for state construction. It is crucial that decisions are made based on the real needs of communities,» — stated Gennady Trukhanov.