| The UNDP Europe and Central Asia region covers a vast geographic area that is diverse in terms of ethnic, religious and cultural makeup. It consists of 18 programme countries and territories in Central Asia, South Caucasus, Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Turkey, most of which have achieved middle-income status and relatively high levels of human development. At the same time, persistent challenges to effective and inclusive governance, human rights and rule of law, and sustainable peace remain. While most countries have also introduced digital services in various forms as part of enhancing public service delivery, business processes, and connectivity, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the significant gaps in digitalization in countries and territories across the region, and that differential access to digital infrastructure, technology, educational and productivity applications are further widening inequalities across and inside countries and territories.
In the ECIS region, around 57% of the population are in urban areas, growing by 1.04% annually. Urban environments provide the setting for complex interactions between population, nature, economies, and social, physical, and institutional infrastructure. Local governments play a critical role in taking hold of the opportunities and addressing complex, multi-faceted pressures in cities and municipalities. They provide frontline support to the local population, and are mandated to ensure effectively functioning governance structures and mechanisms that are responsive to the needs of the local population. However many city and local governments have remained challenged by the rapid pace of change and urban development, weak capacities, demographic shifts, strained budgets and inadequate financing, migration pressures and overall speed of technological development.
The Governance and Peacebuilding (GPB) Team of UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, covering ECIS region, provides advisory services to the countries in the areas of governance, anti-corruption, public sector transformation, digitalization, human rights, security, rule of law, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding. It supports UNDP country offices and works with national, local and regional partners to advance new thinking and solutions to address complex governance and peace challenges in the region, towards accelerating the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
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