The aim of DESPRO is to ensure the provision of effective, efficient, and affordable services in the areas of water supply and in social services in the frame of decentralised structures. the overall objective is to strengthen good governance and effective local development in Ukraine. this is to enchance democratic processes and to improve provision of services. The aim of the first phase of the project (2007-2009) is the introduction of a replicable model of decentralised communal services in the rayon, village and municipal levels that is accepted and approved at oblast and national levels.

DESPRO focuses on  three key objectives:

1) To improve skills of the local communities in idetifying, planning, implementing and managing services;

2) To improve the ability of oblast, rayon, village and municipal authorities to plan, finance, implement and coordinate affordable services in a participatory and innovative manner;

3) To supprot the goverment of ukraine in its efforts to form and strengthen a "National Agenda" od decentralisation and its task to coordinate and harmonise national policy initiatives.