FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN THE CONTEXT OF DECENTRALISATION: THE CASE OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article examines the impact of the financial autonomy of local governments on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ukraine. The main objective of the study is to analyze the financial support of local budgets and their role in achieving key national and global development goals, such as poverty reduction, quality education, healthcare, reduction of inequality, etc. The paper also assesses how effectively decentralization contributes to increasing the financial autonomy of communities and how this affects their ability to independently allocate resources to address pressing socio-economic issues.The main results show that in the period 2015–2023, local budgets of Ukraine demonstrated a steady trend towards the growth of their own revenues, which had a positive impact on the financial autonomy of communities. The share of own revenues in total local budget revenues increased from 41% in 2015 to 68% in 2023. In addition, the expenditure coverage ratio of own revenues has also increased to over 68%, indicating that communities are increasingly able to finance their own needs. However, several problems have been identified, including an imperfect legislative framework, low institutional capacity, and a lack of specialists in local financial management.The findings of the study emphasize the importance of financial decentralization for the sustainable development of communities, especially in the context of martial law. Increased financial autonomy allows communities to respond more effectively to the challenges of the modern world, in particular by investing in local infrastructure, education, healthcare and the environment. At the same time, the authors emphasize the need to improve governance mechanisms further at the local level, as well as the importance of ensuring transparency and accountability of local governments. These measures are key to achieving the SDGs and improving the quality of life of the population.