UN Chornobyl Programme Project Document

SECTION II - STRATEGY AND OBJECTIVES FOR UNDP SUPPORT

A. Policy framework

Mr. Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in his foreword to “Chornobyl – a Continuing Catastrophe” (brochure of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, New York and Geneva, 2000) underlined that UN projects “make a vital difference to the lives of many people. Indeed they may fairly be described as the minimum the international community should do, not only for the victims of Chornobyl themselves but also to ensure that future generations throughout the world can learn some lessons, and reap some benefits, from their ordeal.”

According to “One Decade after Chornobyl” International Conference (Vienna, April 1996) delivered by European Commission, International Atomic Energy Agency and World Health Organization, the Chornobyl accident is the worst technogenic disaster that has occurred in modern times, unprecedented in its scale and impact. It has affected the economic and social development of a number of countries, changing both their living environment and psychology of many generations to come. The impact of socio-psychological consequences must be given as much consideration as the impact of the dose received by the population, since psychological distress is contributing not only to population morbidity, especially psychosomatic illnesses, but also to mortality levels. Environmental Chornobyl-related consequences add to the psychological state of individuals causing chronic environmental stress disorders. The unexpected incidence of thyroid cancer and its unusual type show that current radiobiological knowledge of the development of cancer urgently needs to be broadened. Further research is needed in order to improve diagnostic methods for cancer recognition and treatment.

The UN General Assembly (November, 1999) stressed the long-term nature of the disaster at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, which created humanitarian, environmental, social, economic and health consequences. These problems of common concern, require for their solution wide and active international cooperation and coordination of efforts in this field at the international and national levels.

Country Co-operation Framework Review of April 1999 highlighted that the Chornobyl disaster is a serious concern for the Government of Ukraine. UNDP responded by designing projects that were directed to environmental advocacy, planning and coordination on the one hand, and assisting the Government to enhance its capacity for environment management on the other. The Review recommended that joint efforts of UNDP/OCHA with respect to Chornobyl should continue, making effective use of the program approach concept.

Due to the fact that Ukraine is a transition country the program under consideration represents available entry points for UNDP - Chornobyl being one of the acute problems faced by the Ukraine.

B. Strategy for use of UNDP resources

Problems under consideration in the UN Chornobyl Programme fully correspond to national priorities and are based on the National Operations Programme on mitigation of long-term consequences of the Chornobyl catastrophe. Subprograms based on project proposals submitted by the national government to the UN Chornobyl Donor Meeting (Autumn 1997) are also the result of the inter-agency mission (see “Inter-Agency Programme of International Assistance to Areas Affected by the Chornobyl Disaster”, United Nations, New York and Geneva, 1997), which in May 1997 visited the areas of the three countries affected by Chornobyl, assessing the situation and determining the assistance needed. A number of projects were submitted to Governments, intergovernmental organizations and interested donor organizations. The proposals addressed outstanding problems in the key sectors of health, socio-psychological rehabilitation, environment, economic rehabilitation and information policies. After consideration three above subprogrammes were chosen as the most effective and having a high likelihood of being successful. They are based on projects: Socio-psych/UKR 03/97, Env/UKR 04/97, Health/UKR 01/97.

The reform process in Ukraine confronts the Government with many unfamiliar challenges, while organizational and institutional capacities to effectively address such challenges are often not sufficient. UNDP has a great deal of experience in undertaking capacity building programmes, this is its acknowledged “specialization” amongst the agencies of the UN system.

The social and economic conditions of people affected by Chornobyl are heavily dependent on public subsidies, which have been dramatically reduced over the last 9 years in view of heavy budgetary constraints of the national Government. Tendency of further reduction of these subsidies is quite strong thus causing urgent social demand for investments from outside that would be used to foster personal trust in ability to change one’s live for the better; i.e. encourage community-based development and enhance the capacity of the communities to address the rehabilitation issues locally, increase public awareness of the health effects of radiation and the means to minimize them.

The UNDP Office in Ukraine and the UN Chornobyl Programme Office in Kyiv have extensive experience of work in the field of mitigating long-term psychosocial, health and environmental consequences of the Chornobyl catastrophe.

UNDP extends support to the programme, as it fits into the programme’s country strategy, specifically regarding overcoming the long-term consequences of the Chornobyl accident.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Ukraine for Emergencies and Protection of Population from the Consequences of the Chornobyl Catastrophe and local administrations two new Community Development Centres will be established in the most vulnerable Chornobyl affected locations – Korosten (Zhytomir Oblast), Boyarka (Kyiv Oblast).

Advisory and coordinating assistance to the existing network of Community Development Centres will be provided through strengthening capacity of local administrations, NGOs and community representatives in implementation of efficient mechanisms of community development. Expansion of the activities of the Centres, predominantly in the area of economic development of the areas, will be achieved through arranging of entrepreneurial training for the population.

Implementation of the health subprogram through the development of diagnostics and treatment methods will result in early diagnosis and more effective treatment of thyroid carcinoma, leukemia and lymphomas in patients.

The environmental subprogram is aimed at protecting the Pripyat River and Dnieper reservoirs from secondary radioactive contamination caused by flooding of the plain area near Chornobyl NPP.

Since the program will be executed in cooperation with OCHA, WHO and national institutions, UNDP/Ukraine will draw on the following advantages:

• Promotion of national ownership of projects.
• Support to national capacity and institutional building.
• Fast and cost-effective approach for the implementation of the project activities.
• Well-established contractual procedures for hiring national staff and contractors.
• Utilization of UNDP/Ukraine as an international organization, which has a roster of internationally recognized experts and has gained experience from similar projects in other regions.

С. Programme support objectives

C (a) Objectives to be achieved through UNDP intervention

As it was stated before, the main goal of the National Operations Programme of Minimization of the Chornobyl Catastrophe Consequences is the decrease of general health risks for the affected population, as well as mitigation of ecological, economic and psychosocial effects of Chornobyl.

The National Operations Programme links risks for the population to the influence of number of unfavorable factors that could be divided into two major groups: factors related to radiation – related to direct impact of ionizing irradiation and radioactive substances, and factors that are not related to radiation – linked to life condition changes, restrictions in nutrition, worsening of food quality, and long-term psychological stress.

The UN Chornobyl Programme is a multi-sectoral programme that addresses major aspects of Chornobyl catastrophe consequences. The Programme will support achievement of the national development objective through building capacity of national institutions in management of long-term consequences of the disaster, specifically through support for developing a national strategy in mitigation of long-term consequences, building an adequate information strategy, improvement of international cooperation regarding Chornobyl, as well as through implementation of tree subprogrammes in psychosocial, environmental and health areas.

Implementation of the Programme will result in the following outcomes.

• Increased capacity of national institutions for developing comprehensive and cooperative strategies on dealing with long-term consequences of the Chornobyl catastrophe and possible emergencies in future i.e. developing disaster preparedness and disaster response efficiency.
• Increase in knowledge and skills of government officials and administrations of all levels of the decision-making process in cases of natural and technological disasters.

• More profound understanding by the international donor community of the humanitarian dimension of Chornobyl and the actual balance between technical and humanitarian Chornobyl consequences, which will positively effect the international cooperation on mitigation of long-term Chornobyl aftermath.

• Further development of psychosocial services in Chornobyl affected areas and thus improvement of the psychosocial situation in the areas - decrease of social tension, Chornobyl related anxiety and stress in the population.

• Development of mechanisms of socioeconomic rehabilitation of Chornobyl affected areas through the increase of population involvement in income generating activities.
• contribution to further increase of the whole system of radiological safety and stability in the Chornobyl areas and areas that might be affected by secondary contamination, especially in Prypyat and Dnieper River’s reservoirs.

• In the health area - improved screening, diagnostic and treatment procedures of long-term health effects, such as thyroid carcinoma, leukemia, and lymphomas in Chornobyl affected population, including liquidators.

This will be achieved through implementation of a set of Programme support objectives outlined in Fig. 1. (see Annexes).

The whole scope of Programme objectives is divided into two groups – those that refer to the whole scale of Programme activities, deal with Chornobyl aftermath and could be determined as overall Programme support objectives and those that refer to specific areas and are determined as specific Programme support objectives.

Implementation of the overall Programme support objective will contribute to the achievement of more global and strategic results, such as the development of a comprehensive national strategy on minimization of Chornobyl consequences in social and humanitarian areas, development of an efficient national information strategy on Chornobyl aftereffects supposed to raise awareness of the international community and enhance international cooperation in dealing with Chornobyl effects.

During the course of achievement of this objective new donors, donor countries, private sector institutions and NGOs, are supposed to be identified. The important outcome will be a pledging conference for traditional donor countries, newly identified donor countries, donors from the private sector and donor NGOs.

Specific Programme support objectives envisage mitigation of Chornobyl aftermath in the areas of psychosocial, health and environmental aftereffects.

Within the psychosocial subprogramme the network of psychosocial rehabilitation centers is to be extended by creating two new centers, as well as expanding the Centers` activities.

On the request of the National Government Ministry of Emergencies, the administrations of Kyiv and Zhytomir Oblasts, and Korosten City administration, the town of Korosten, Zhytomir Oblast, and Children Oblast Hospital in Boyarka, Kyiv Oblast were identified as the sites for creating the new Centres.

These sites were selected for the following reasons:

• Korosten was identified as a city in the contaminated area with an outstanding level of social tension and anxiety, according to the estimations of the national authorities.

• The Children Kyiv Oblast Hospital in Boyarka is the best-equipped medical institution in the Kyiv Oblast with the highest level of professional expertise. It was built in 1996 sponsored by the Ministry of Emergencies and designated as the lead medical institution to treat children from the contaminated areas of Kyiv Oblast. In Kyiv Oblast about 45,000 children up to 16 years old reside in the contaminated areas.

Korosten and the Korosten region are on the list of sites of guaranteed resettlement – if they are willing, people can move out with all necessary compensation. These areas are considered contaminated to various degrees in different settlements.

Population of Korosten together with the region is 110,000, with 67,000 people living in the city itself. The level of migration in the town and the region is extremely high primarily due to Chornobyl aftereffect. Within the last 10 years about 30,000 people were resettled because of Chornobyl consequences and in the last years about 20,000 returned because they were not satisfied with life conditions in new settlements.

Korosten is one of the Chornobyl sites where the psychosocial problems are most acute. Some include: constant fear of negative radiation affects, high level of anxiety and stress, disrupted social and personal relations, lack of community interaction and support, lack of efficient interaction between the population and local administration. This results in a high level of social tension among the population. Since 1986 Korosten residents have been living under psychological stress of radiation danger and its consequences for their health and the health of the younger generation, coinciding with increasing poverty, decline of medical services and living standards as a whole. The youngest and most active part of the population started leaving the town and resettling. Thus, the quota of pensioners is constantly increasing. According to sociological surveys done by the Ukrainian National Institute of Sociology, Korosten is the place with one of the highest levels of social tension and psychological problems among the Chornobyl affected territories. All the existing problems (health, poverty, unemployment, etc) are related in the minds of people to catastrophe consequences.

Boyarka, Kyiv Oblast. Kyiv Oblast hospital for children is located in Boyarka, a settlement of about 40,000 inhabitants 30 km from Kyiv. Boyarka has a well-developed public transportation connection with Kyiv and other parts of the Oblast (train, busses).

The hospital is partly financed by the Ministry of Emergencies. It is designed for 360 simultaneous in-house patients and is one of the best-equipped hospitals in the region with the most qualified professional staff.

The hospital has within its premises the Diagnostic Centre for the Chornobyl territories and policlinics for outdoor patients. There are 9 units in the hospital – general therapy, intensive therapy, surgery, cardiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, neurology, etc. Each unit has a playroom and a small room for physical exercises. Children are brought to the hospital from the whole Kyiv Oblast, especially from the contaminated areas, with the most acute or complicated cases. The average stay in the hospital is 10 to 30 days. Children stay without parents and, because of the distance and high tickets prices, it is hardly possible for the parents to visit their children often enough. Children staying in the Hospital range from newly born to 16 years old. Besides, one of the units of the hospital is a policlinic for outdoor patients that receives more then 150 visitors per day.

The most frequent diseases among children are different types of bronchitis, pneumonia, thyroid and heart diseases, vascular distonia, diseases due to immune deficit, nervous system diseases etc.

Patients in the hospital, besides somatic illnesses, manifest severe psychological problems caused both by the illness itself and by the necessity to stay apart from their families. Children suffer from constant fears, especially fears related to medical examinations and treatment, including fears concerning terminal illness and death They manifest lack of self-esteem, emotional and cognitive disorders, and problems with psychosocial adaptation. Psychological problems are even more acute because of the lack of contact with families. Some of the psychological problems are specifically concerned with the Chornobyl consequences – fear of specific diseases (cancer, alopecia, etc.), lack of a positive life attitude, apathy and pessimism for the future related to the catastrophe affects, especially in adolescents.

Analyses concerned with age at the time of exposure confirmed the hypothesis that very young children were at greatest risk. It is considered that the increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer in those exposed as young children may persist. If the current high relative risk were sustained there would be a large increase over the coming decades in the incidence of thyroid carcinoma in adults who received high radiation doses as children.

The implementation of the subprogramme on environment will contribute to the national efforts in ensuring radiological safety and stability for the population living downstream the Dnieper. It will result in scientific and financial justification on the feasibility of the dyke construction on the right bank of the Prypyat River in the Chornobyl exclusion zone, and further revision of the dyke construction design. This will ensure the completion of the water protecting measures on the right bank of the river near the ChNPP and ensure radiological safety for the population living downstream the Dnieper.

Therefore, the fundamental goals of the feasibility study of the right bank protection dyke are:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the dyke in terms of collective dose reduction
• To examine the technical options that have been proposed
• To perform a cost/benefit analysis

The dyke construction feasibility study will be followed by analysis of the existing design of the dyke and its revision with regard to the results of the study.

In course of the dyke design and construction a methodology of monitoring and prognosis of secondary contamination caused by washout of the contaminated water from the exclusion zone will be developed.

The construction of the right bank protecting dyke along the Pripyat River has to protect the Dnieper River water from secondary contamination that results from floods. It will decrease the collective dose to the population living downstream – anticipated collective dose reduction is about 300-400 man/Sv for a lifetime. (More details on the dyke construction are given in the Annexes.)

The subprogramme in the health area will result in building technical and professional capacities of national institutions involved in improving the diagnoses and treatment of thyroid carcinoma, leukemia and lymphomas among residents of contaminated areas. It will timely reveal risks of aftereffects by using more precise examination and diagnostic equipment procedures.

Health effects have been, and continue to be, the central problem to mitigate the consequences of the catastrophe. It is not a single problem, but a complex one, which requires lots of attention and presents great difficulties. One important aspect involves the presence of low and continuing exposure which causes alarm and distress in the population. People feel that the increase in all kinds of illnesses must be due to radiation. However, the real concern is about actual effects caused by radiation.

In the future it is important to focus epidemiological studies on well-defined populations. One of the areas that might be of interest in forthcoming years is the epidemiology of a chronically exposed population. For example, there are more instances of leukemia among the liquidators, people who received higher doses of radiation (above 0,25Gy).

Research results on pathological characteristics of childhood thyroid tumors led to the conclusion that the large increase in the incidence of childhood thyroid cancer in Belarus and Ukraine is not due to intensified screening – which may have a minor contribution - but that it is indeed due to radio-iodine exposure form Chornobyl. It is evident that there is need for continued surveillance of the exposed population.

Another effect of the Chornobyl catastrophe is an increase of chronic thyroids and hypothyroids in adults, mostly among women.

Also during the last two years an increase in the number of thyroid pathologies, including oncological pathology, has developed among liquidators.

Programme Support Objective 1

Support for developing a comprehensive national approach to minimizing the long-term consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe and developing an adequate information strategy to involve international community in further support to the disaster aftermath mitigation.

Indicators:

• Developed capacity of national authorities and co-operation among national agents in managing a long-term programme.

• Developed and approved contribution to the comprehensive national approach of mitigating long-term consequences and disaster preparedness.

• Implemented advocacy measures about acute Chornobyl catastrophe consequences oriented both towards national and international contributors.

• Undertaken actions aimed on mobilising funds for future programme activities.

Output 1.1. Enhanced cooperation among national actors involved in Chornobyl disaster consequences mitigation process.

Output 1.2. Recommendations for the national strategy on minimization of long-term consequences of the Chornobyl catastrophe.

Output 1.3. Developed capacity of national institutions in designing comprehensive strategies and programmes on the Chornobyl catastrophe consequences mitigation in particular, and natural and technological disaster consequences and disaster preparedness in general.

Output 1.4. Information and fundraising campaign on enhancing international cooperation in the area of minimization of long-term Chornobyl consequences.

Time frame June 2000 - May 2002

Target beneficiaries: decision makers - government officials and representatives of administrations of various levels.

Programme Support Objective 2

Extension and support for the sustainable operation of the existing network of Centres for psychosocial rehabilitation of population affected by the Chornobyl catastrophe.

Indicators:

• Creation of institutional, administrative, and management structures required for operation of psychosocial rehabilitation Centers.

• Developed legal, administrative, and institutional framework for operation of the Centres.
• Premises for the new centres selected and refurbished, professional and management staff selected and trained. Required equipment obtained, as well as renovation of the expendable equipment for the existing centre completed.
• Signed statements of mutual interests between the centres and appropriate local authorities, ensuring the support of local authorities.

Output 2.1. Preparation and approval of the required set of legal and administrative documents to support further operation of the Centres for Psychosocial Rehabilitation in Korosten and Boyarka.

Output 2.2. Creation of two new Centres for Psychosocial Rehabilitation of population affected by Chornobyl in Korosten, Zhytomyr Oblast and Boyarka, Kyiv Oblast.

Output 2.3. Support to the existing network of Centres.

Output 2.4. Sustainable operation of the network of Centres for Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Chornobyl affected population.

Time frame June 2000 – May 2002

Target beneficiaries: residents of the localities where psychosocial rehabilitation Centres are operating – total number of about 350,000 people; local administrations.

Programme Support Objective 3

Technical and financial feasibility study of a preventive dyke construction on the flood areas of the Exclusion Zone.

Indicators:

• Processed data on engineering decisions and dose calculations.

• Completed financial analysis of the cost-efficiency of the protecting dyke.

Output 3.1. Evaluation of protective dyke construction in reservoirs of Prypyat and Dnieper Rivers.

Output 3.2. Preparing a rational technical design of the dyke.

Time frame June 2000 – June 2001

Target beneficiaries: population of Ukraine living downstream the Dnieper River and consuming Dnieper water and river products, scientific community.

Programme support objective 4

Development of enhanced and timely methods of diagnosis of thyroid carcinomas, lymphomas and leukaemias in people who suffered from Chornobyl catastrophe consequences.

Indicators:

• Development of effective, pre-operative diagnoses and treatment of leukaemia and limphomas among population which suffered from the Chornobyl catastrophe.

• Curable papillary and follicular carcinomas and abolition of their regional and distant metastases, complex individual leukaemia and lymphoma polychemiotherapy.

Output 4.1. Verification and monitoring of all cases of thyroid disorders and evaluation of the volume of necessary treatment measures.

Output 4.2.Medical staff training to use new methodologies and equipment.

Time frame: July 2000 – June 2001

Target beneficiaries: residents of contaminated areas and other categories of the Chornobyl affected population who might have thyroid gland pathology, scientific community.

C (b) Resources

National resources

Parallel financing by the National Government, amounting to $250,000, is expected. The national resources committed to the project will consist of two components: in-kind contributions and contributions in cash.

The government will designate organizations and institutions involved in Programme implementation in the three areas of performance.

Psychosocial subprogramme. The Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine, in cooperation with Kyiv and Zhytomyr Oblast administrations, will provide the Centres with adequate premises and bare the cost of refurbishment of the facilities. The National Government will also employ the necessary number of staff members for the new Centres for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation of population which suffered from the Chornobyl catastrophe. The Ministry of Emergencies through Oblast and local administrations will pay the salaries of the staff and finance the maintenance of the buildings and the running costs of the Centres. New Centres will be installed in special buildings in the town of Korosten, made available by the town administration and – in Boyarka – in the premises of an existing children’s clinic of the Oblast. Both locations will provide enough space for activities of the Centres (reception hall, offices, space for the treatment of children, for sport and educational activities).

Estimated amount - $ 100.000

Environmental subprogramme. National institutions have carried out preparatory research and exploratory activities. The preliminary estimated cost of the second stage of the project is about USD 6.7 million. The final construction cost will be estimated on the basis of the results of the feasibility study. National input: 30 – 50 per cent of the expenses.

Estimated amount – $ 100.000

Health subprogramme. National institutions will finance the in-clinic treatment of patients, maintenance of the equipment, and staff costs.

Estimated amount -$ 50.000

UNDP resources

The funds provided by the government of USA and the UNDP.

UNDP will provide the necessary support for Chornobyl Programme implementation. Along with the grant provided by the Government of the United States it will contribute USD 100,000 for both general Program issues and subprogrammes.

Total amount of USAID grant – 1,000,000 USD

Psychosocial subprogramme

Total financial assistance estimated at USD 410.000

Environmental subprogramme

Total financial assistance estimated at USD 270,000

Health subprogramme

Total financial assistance estimated at USD 320,000

D. Management

In order to ensure effective management for achievement of the Programme objectives and expected results through the efficient use of UNDP resources and matching funds, the Programme will be executed within the framework of the National Execution Modality with the support of UNDP country office.

The National Execution Modality has been selected as the preferred one based on the following prerequisites:

• NEX modality will enable better partnership and coordination among the Government, UNDP, UN Agencies, NGOs and the donors (both current and potential) in the course of programme execution.
• Integration of the Programme with the national programme will ensure national ownership of the Programme results and, therefore, responsibility for the efficient use of resources.
• NEX is expected to contribute to greater self-reliance by effective use and strengthening of the management capacities and technical expertise of national institutions and individuals through learning by doing. National ownership and commitment to development activities will lead to enhanced sustainability of the Programme.

D (a) The roles and responsibilities of all institutions involved

The Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine has been designated as the national institution that will manage the Programme. The designated institution was identified on the basis of its functional profile – it is the ministry that deals with the post-Chernobyl consequences. While assessing programme management capacities of the designated institution the positive experience of the previous involvement of the Ministry as the executing agency for NEX Project UKR/96/026 “Sustainable Human Protection. Strengthening Government Capacities for Integrated Disaster Response” was taken into account.

A National Programme Director (NPD) will be appointed to carry out coordination actions on behalf of the Government. The NPD assumes ultimate responsibility on behalf of the Government for the overall management at UNDP programming and is ultimately accountable to the UNDP for all UNDP programming recourses under Governmental management. This includes responsibility for the supervision of the performance of the executing agent, assessment of progress and technical quality, and attainment of objectives.

To ensure the current operation of the Programme a Deputy National Programme Director will be assigned.

As the development partner UNDP country office will provide support services to the Programme in its formulation, monitoring and evaluation. In view of some problems of legal nature with opening and operating a separate bank account for the Programme (tax exemption) the UNDP country office will also provide assistance in accounting, direct contracting and payments. (See Annex “Agreement between UNDP Ukraine and the Government of Ukraine for the Provision of Support Services”.)

While the Ministry of Emergencies, as the designated institution, will act as the primary Governmental counterpart for the Programme, successful implementation of some specific Programme activities will require the involvement of the following institutions and agencies: Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Kyiv Oblast, Zhytomyr Oblast and Korosten City Administrations, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, United Nations Office for Coordination Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA), World Health Organization (WHO).

The outline and distribution of these institutions’ roles in the Programme is as follows:

• Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Ministry of Health of Ukraine – primary coordination and advisory institution for the implementation of the “health component” aimed at enhancement of diagnosis and treatment of carcinoma, leukemia and lymphomas among residents of contaminated areas.

• Kyiv Oblast, Zhytomyr Oblast and Korosten City Administrations – main counterparts for implementation and monitoring of Programme progress (psychosocial rehabilitation component) at the local level.

• Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine – providing advisory support on environment-related issues.

• WHO – providing consultancy for the health component as outlined in the Programme Support Document under Objective 4.

• UNOCHA – primary coordinator for the UN system’s support to the Programme, executing agent for the environment component (see (d) of Management).

• UNDP – acts, together with the Government, as the Programme hub to ensure coordination among all stakeholders of the Programme, including donors’ community. The UNDP country office will also provide support services to the Programme.

• The Ministry of Emergencies will also provide direct support to the implementation of the two Programme components, i.e. socio-psychological rehabilitation and dyke feasibility studies.

D (b) Programme support unit

In the course of Programme design all key players have agreed to set up a separate functional unit to ensure efficient Programme execution. In coordination, and at the request of the designated institution, UNDP CO will establish the UN Chornobyl Programme Office. This Office will serve as the main unit for Programme operational coordination and implementation. In its everyday activities, the Office will be guided by the Programme Support Document and the recommendations of the Steering Committee adopted at its sessions. During inter-plenary periods the Office will be guided by the instructions of the Steering Committee’s Chairman. (For detailed Office TOR and structure see Annex )

Management support Objective

Creating an effective management structure to achieve programme objectives.

Indicators:

Establishment of the UNCP office.

Establishment of good working relations with the National Counterpart

D (c) Internal and External Coordination Mechanisms

The effective coordination of all Programme contributors’ efforts will be ensured through regular meetings of the Steering Committee on Chornobyl Programme. The Steering Committee will consist of the duly designated representatives of (a) the Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine, (b) Academy of Medical Sciences and Ministry of Health of Ukraine, (c) Kyiv Oblast, (d) Zhytomyr Oblast and (e) Korosten City Administrations, (f) Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, (g) United Nations Office for Coordination Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA), World Health Organization (WHO), UNDP. In case of absence of either of the UN agencies’ representatives their interests will be represented by the UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine. Whenever it is required by the Programme, the meetings of the Steering Committee can be attended by experts, consultants, and representatives of other national and international organizations that are interested in supporting the Programme execution.

On the request of the Steering Committee members or at the initiative of the Chairman ad hoc meetings may be convened whenever the situation requires it.

As part of the internal coordination arrangement, the Programme issues will be discussed by the UN Theme Group that will advise on strategic Programme development to the Steering Committee.

D (d) Arrangements for preparing and updating work plans

The annual work plans will be prepared and updated by the Programme Office in consultations with the appropriate national and international counterparts. The consolidated annual plan or its update is to be reviewed and approved by the Steering Committee. In case of urgent changes that might be needed in the work plan the Chairman of the Steering Committee is entrusted with the authority to approve modifications in the work plan and inform the Committee’s members on the changes post factum.

D (e) Financial accounting and timely and accurate reporting

Since the Programme will be implemented with direct support of UNDP CO the UNDP will ensure financial accounting and timely and accurate reporting. (Refer to the attachment to “Agreement between UNDP Ukraine and the Government of Ukraine for the Provision of Support Services”)

D (f) Arrangements between the Designated Institution and UN agencies

In view of the fact that according to previous arrangements between USAID and UN on Programme execution UNOCHA had been designated as the executing agent for the environmental component of the Programme, particularly the dyke feasibility study (Attachment 2 to USAID Grant # 121-6-00-98-00627 refers), and since UNOCHA has already commenced this component’s execution, the Government and UNDP have agreed to retain this arrangement for the Programme component. To formalize the arrangement the Government will conclude the appropriate Letter of Agreement with UNOCHA on the execution of the above-mentioned component.

E. Monitoring and evaluation

The mechanisms that will be used to monitor and evaluate the national programme:

• Periodic on-site field visits;
• Quarterly reporting of executing agencies to SC;
• Regular meetings of SC;
• Annual and terminal report;
• TPR (annual and terminal);
• Audit;
• Evaluation mission.

The work plan and budget will be updated by mandatory revision undertaken not later than May 2001.

F. Risks and prior obligations

F (a) Risks

Restructuring of the Ministers of Ukraine might appear to represent a certain risks for timely implementation of the project. However, the operational guidance of the UNDP would control the situation.

Also, economic situation crisis, decline in financial resources, insufficient legal basis, and problems with organization of work on the local level might impede the programme implementation of the strategy, which will be created in the framework of the programme.

F (b) Prerequisites

On 30 June 1999 the Agreement on partnership and cooperation between the United Nations Office in Ukraine and the Ministry of Ukraine of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of Chornobyl Catastrophe was signed, which played the role of a basic agreement for development of preparatory activities for the UN Chornobyl Programme implementation.

Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine, Ministry of Public Health of Ukraine and Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (AMS) will provide the above input.

The Government is fully aware of its obligations to provide, in a timely manner, all documents and, as the case may be, the reports required in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. Moreover, the Government agrees that the program will be subject to an annual audit, for the purpose of which all project-related documentation will be made available upon the auditor’s request.

The Programme Document will be signed by UNDP, and UNDP assistance to the program will be provided subject to UNDP receiving satisfaction that the prerequisites listed above have been fulfilled or are likely to be fulfilled. When anticipated fulfilment of one or more prerequisites fails to materialize, UNDP may, at its discretion, either suspend or terminate its assistance.

Funds contributed to the UN Chornobyl Programme by the government of the USA should be expended with the provisions of the Grant Agreement No.121-G-00-36-00627-00.

F (c) Prior obligations

No special conditions or prior obligations should be met prior to proceeding with the program as a whole and its separate subprogram implementations.

G. Legal context

This programme support document shall be the instrument referred to as the project document in Article 1 of the SBAA between the government of Ukraine and UNDP, signed on 18 June 1993.

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