Ministry of Finance and UNICEF launch a series of interregional training seminars for local Government Finance Officers

On July 23–24, 2025, a series of interregional training seminars for heads of financial departments of territorial communities was launched. The initiative is jointly organized by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine and the UNICEF Office in Ukraine under the theme: "Medium-Term Budget Planning and Public Investment Management at the Community Level with a Focus on Strategic Goals and the Needs of Children and Youth," with financial support from the Government of Germany through KfW (the German Development Bank).

This training series builds on consultations held in June 2025 with heads of financial departments of regional state administrations, initiated by the Ministry of Finance and UNICEF. It forms part of the implementation of the Public Finance Management Strategy, particularly in areas related to medium-term budget planning and effective public investment management.

Throughout July and August, finance specialists from over 180 territorial communities will participate in the seminars. The main goal is to equip communities with practical tools for planning, implementing, and monitoring budgets and investment projects that take into account the needs of children and youth. The seminars also aim to support the implementation of updated provisions of the Budget Code regarding medium-term budget planning.

The training program covers the following key areas:

• Introducing the child-centered approach as a foundation of the community’s budgeting process, ensuring that human needs, particularly those of children are reflected in planning and financing for development;

• Exploring the specifics of strategic planning at the local level and its connection to the budget process in the context of defining medium-term priorities;

• Developing approaches for preparing local budget forecasts and budget proposals, including the integration of gender-responsive budgeting;

• Understanding the fundamentals of public investment management at the community level and aligning them with medium-term planning through the development of a priority investment plan;

• Familiarization with the DREAM platform, including its functionality, potential, and practical guidance for its use in managing investment projects.

The first seminar brought together 35 finance specialists from 12 regions of Ukraine, along with experts from the Ministry of Finance, UNICEF, and the DREAM team.

This series of interregional trainings represents another important step toward advancing effective medium-term budget planning and implementing Ukraine’s public finance management reform. The reform aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and results-oriented management of public funds.