DESPRO represented Ukraine at the Regional Meeting of water supply specialists in Chisinau, Moldova, on October 1-2, 2015

26 professionals from such spheres as water supply, water disposal, and integrated management of water resources from Central Asia, Eastern Europe (Moldova and Ukraine), and Western Balkans, gathered in order to participate in this international activity initiated by the Swiss agency for cooperation and development.

All participating countries face the problems of institutional development while organizing water supply and water disposal. Evolution of management models from community-level projects to regional or national level is still the subject of discussions, practical modelling, and piloting, as well as normative support. New times call for new approaches, such as sectoral reforms, legislative support, institutional support, and further reproduction of successful practices across the country.

It was noted that for different countries in modern conditions it was a top priority to conduct a conscious transition from infrastucturally strong projects to projects, targeted at management and institutional development, from implementation of projects through community-based organizations to implementation of these same projects through national projects and systems.

Beside that, some other important issues were discussed during the workshop:
 • Decentralised systems for water supply and water disposal: technologies and management models, 
 • Water, water disposal, and health
 • Support for implementation of the Protocol on water and health
 • Coordination and harmonization of donors’ activities.

DESPRO had the opportunity to present project experience in Ukraine, its achievements, challenges, and prospects. Particularly, the discussion focused on the evolution of management models, management funding, and development of local self-governance through water-related projects. The Regional meeting was organized by Swiss agency for cooperation (Moldova) / ApaSan (Moldova)/ DESPRO (Ukraine)