Study on “The role of local and regional authorities and decentralised cooperation in fragile settings: building on the Nicosia Initiative in Libya”

Project

28 Oct 2025 - 30 Jan 2026

Sustainable policies

Karolina Zubel

Agnieszka Maj

Katsiaryna Kasykh

Date:

28 Oct 2025 - 30 Jan 2026
Financed by:

The European Committee of the Regions
Partner:

IEMed

Karolina Zubel

Environment, Energy and Climate Change Director
Karolina Zubel holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science and BA from the University of Warsaw and Sciences Po Paris. Currently, she is a PhD student at the Warsaw School of Economics, focusing her research endeavours on smart cities developments. Her work has been at the intersection of sustainability, low-carbon … <a href="https://case-research.eu/project/study-on-the-role-of-local-and-regional-authorities-and-decentralised-cooperation-in-fragile-settings-building-on-the-nicosia-initiative-in-libya/">Continued</a>

Projects from this author:
- Study on the ‘Repercussions of US agri-food tariffs on EU regions’
- Climate-resilient Warsaw: The Sponge City Concept
- Local and regional success stories of investing in disaster resilience
  The aim of the study is to collect, map and share good practices, examples and success stories of investing in disaster resilience (including but not limited to in response to past disasters and the lessons learned from them) at local and regional level. The study focuses on collecting evidence on initiatives, good practice examples and measures taken by the NAT commission members to improve disaster resilience. The study will be built on interviews with NAT commission members based on a questionnaire. The study will also draw conclusions on the benefits of investing in disaster resilience and make some recommendations to local and regional authorities for moving forward based on the success stories collected from the members demonstrating that smart investment at local and regional level can make a difference in disaster risk reduction. The focus will be mainly, but not exclusively, on extreme weather events and climate-related disasters, given their growing frequency, intensity and impact. The study will contribute to knowledge sharing and exchange of good practices, by collecting and sharing success stories from and by members who have invested in reducing vulnerabilities and strengthening disaster resilience at local and regional level. As a repository of local and regional good practice examples, initiatives and measures relating to disaster preparedness and resilience, the aim of the study is also to feed into a bigger and longer-term project to map success stories of investing in disaster resilience on the ground.
Author’s projects
Agnieszka Maj

Economist
Agnieszka Maj is an Economist at CASE. She holds an MA degree in International Economic Relations from Cracow University of Economics. Currently, she is obtaining an MA in Gender Studies – Intersectionality and Change at Linköping University. During her education (on both BA and MA levels) she participated in numerous exchange programs at the University … <a href="https://case-research.eu/project/study-on-the-role-of-local-and-regional-authorities-and-decentralised-cooperation-in-fragile-settings-building-on-the-nicosia-initiative-in-libya/">Continued</a>

Projects from this author:
- Study on the ‘Repercussions of US agri-food tariffs on EU regions’
- Climate-resilient Warsaw: The Sponge City Concept
- Local and regional success stories of investing in disaster resilience
  The aim of the study is to collect, map and share good practices, examples and success stories of investing in disaster resilience (including but not limited to in response to past disasters and the lessons learned from them) at local and regional level. The study focuses on collecting evidence on initiatives, good practice examples and measures taken by the NAT commission members to improve disaster resilience. The study will be built on interviews with NAT commission members based on a questionnaire. The study will also draw conclusions on the benefits of investing in disaster resilience and make some recommendations to local and regional authorities for moving forward based on the success stories collected from the members demonstrating that smart investment at local and regional level can make a difference in disaster risk reduction. The focus will be mainly, but not exclusively, on extreme weather events and climate-related disasters, given their growing frequency, intensity and impact. The study will contribute to knowledge sharing and exchange of good practices, by collecting and sharing success stories from and by members who have invested in reducing vulnerabilities and strengthening disaster resilience at local and regional level. As a repository of local and regional good practice examples, initiatives and measures relating to disaster preparedness and resilience, the aim of the study is also to feed into a bigger and longer-term project to map success stories of investing in disaster resilience on the ground.
Author’s projects
Katsiaryna Kasykh

Project Manager
Katsiaryna Kasykh is an experienced project and program and manager with over 18 years of expertise, specializing in territorial and cross-border cooperation program and project management, territorial marketing, ecology, sustainable development, area-based development, and humanitarian aid projects. She has successfully implemented numerous social and humanitarian projects, combining her skills in strategic planning and management with a deep commitment to fostering collaboration across regions. Ms. Kasykh holds a MA degree in Management and Economics from Brest State Technical University and a postgraduate diploma in Customs Law from Belarusian State University. For over 15 years she was on managerial position in NGO Sector in Belarus. Her professional background includes leading roles in designing and managing large-scale initiatives funded by local and international donors (incl. EU, UN,UNDP, UNHCR,USAID), with a focus on environmental issues, sustainable development, and community-led projects. Additionally, Ms. Kasykh has extensive expertise in Eastern Partnership programs, working on cross-border cooperation strategies and contributing to regional development initiatives. Her work in developing regional development strategies, overseeing cross-border cooperation programs, and delivering impactful area-based development projects demonstrates her ability to create solutions that address complex regional challenges while promoting ecological and social sustainability.

Projects from this author:
Author’s projects

CASE conducts a comprehensive study requested by the European Committee of the Regions examining how local and regional authorities (LRAs) and decentralised cooperation contribute to stability, resilience and service delivery in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Using the Nicosia Initiative in Libya as a core reference model, the project will analyse how decentralisation, subnational diplomacy and city-to-city partnerships support peacebuilding and strengthen governance where national-level engagement is limited.

Drawing on the EU’s Global Gateway framework and its evolving approach to fragile environments, the study will explore how LRAs help prevent instability, maintain the EU’s presence, and shape pragmatic cooperation channels, even in contexts marked by insecurity and weak state institutions.

Our team will review the latest international research on fragility from the OECD, the World Bank, and the UN, assesses decentralisation as a stabilising factor, and develops case studies for countries facing conflict or political volatility, including Libya, Ukraine, the Sahel, and Syria. Special attention will be given to operational lessons from the Nicosia Initiative: its governance model, political impact, and potential for replication in other fragile settings.

Scope of work includes:

comprehensive desk research on fragility, decentralisation and local governance;
literature review on the local dimensions of instability;
structured interviews with EU institutions, international organisations and decentralised cooperation actors;
case study development for fragile or conflict-affected countries;
assessment of decentralised cooperation and subnational diplomacy as EU engagement tools;
preparation of a 30-page analytical report with recommendations for the EU and LRAs;
development of a two-page infographic leaflet for communication purposes;

This study strengthens understanding of how LRAs and decentralised cooperation enhance Europe’s ability to act in fragile contexts , offering actionable insights for future EU engagement in regions affected by conflict and instability.

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Study on “The role of local and regional authorities and decentralised cooperation in fragile settings: building on the Nicosia Initiative in Libya”

Date:

Financed by:

Partner:

Karolina Zubel

Projects from this author:

Agnieszka Maj

Projects from this author:

Katsiaryna Kasykh

Projects from this author:

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