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Vitaliy Volkov has more than 15 years of experience in project management in the field of energy efficiency, where the main beneficiaries are local governments. He is well versed in the methodology of the Covenant of Mayors through his work in the first Ukrainian support structure and participation in international technical assistance projects.

His main assignment in the project is to provides advisory support to the signatory communities of the Covenant of Mayors in compiling a baseline emission survey, setting targets and developing measures to mitigate climate change, monitoring the implementation of the SEAP and working with the online platform MyCovenant.

Mr Jahangir Afandiyev, energy and economy specialist, has more than 35 years’ civil servants and consultant experience in the energy sector. He had practical experience in the preparation of national energy policy documents. He was actively involved in development of the first 5-year National Energy Efficiency Action Plan for 2021-2025, draft Law on Use of renewable energy sources in the generation of electricity and draft Law on Efficient Use of Energy Resources and Energy Efficiency.

Within the framework of the Covenant of Mayors – East II project, as a country specific Helpdesk officer, he cooperated with the Ministry of Energy (as CNC) to assist in attracting 7 new CoM signatories and provided support to the existing signatory cities in SECAP preparation, implementation and monitoring.

Irina Plis is a co-founder and an Executive Director of a Moldova NGO Alliance for Energy Efficiency and Renewables (AEER) with over 20 years of experience in developing, promoting and implementing different donor-funded projects in energy and environment. Since 2012 Ms Plis has been providing tailored support to municipalities on the development of SECAPs, capacity building, networking with financing institutions and local stakeholders, public awareness and communication. Since 2014 Ms Plis developed and managed the implementation of complex and innovative energy projects to improve the municipal infrastructure including public buildings, street lighting, use of RES, municipal services with the total attracted budget of over 3 mln. Euros.

Mr. Artem Kharazyan has more than 18 years of experience in coordination and implementation of projects in climate change, energy saving and energy efficiency sectors, including 8 years of working expeience as CoM East Country Expert in Armenia and Techncial Helpdesk Expert. His management skills encompass the organization of overall project logistics and project planning, mobilization and coordination of activities of local and international experts and provision of consultancy and expert services. Mr Kharazyan has skills in providing of technical advice, organization of data collection, systematization and analysis as well as monitoring of project sites.

Mr. George Abulashvili is the director of the Energy Efficiency Centre Georgia (EECG). As former advisor of the Energy Charter member countries in energy sector investments, he was involved in the implementation of the protocol on energy efficiency and related environmental aspects (PEEREA). Mr. Abulashvili was an expert consultant to the Georgian parliament on energy issues. His experience spans from energy efficiency and renewable energy to related environmental aspects such as climate change mitigation and the analysis of related environmental policies and regulations. Since 1996, he has been the initiator and manager of many local and international projects and programmes focused on demonstration of the mitigation potential of various EE and RE technologies, as well as capacity building and awareness rising on climate friendly energy technologies. Mr. Abulashvili has been involved in the CoM East projects since the 1st stage.

Ms Oksana Kysil has a wealth of experience in fields related to the topics of the CoM initiative. Her expertise covers such issues as UA energy legislation, climate, and environmental policies (mitigation and adaptation) on state, regional and local levels; economic analysis of mitigation and adaptation projects of municipal infrastructure with various scenario and donors’/IFIs needs for investment; monitoring and evaluation of project results including GHG emissions. During the last 5 years, Ms Kysil was a Country Expert for Ukraine in the frame of the CoM East II project. She assisted UA SIGNS in adhesion procedure, elaboration of BEI/RVA/SECAP and monitoring, as well as development of bankable project for its further financing by IFIs and donors.