Newsletter no. 12

Newsletter

Dldp aims through this newsletter to share to the readers the main achievements of each quarter as well as the main activities planned for the next quarter.

This format further enriches the ways of transmitting information through our website www.dldp.al CONTENT 1 Best Practices 2017

National Competition

3 Conference: “Migration,

Diaspora and Development in Albania and in the Western Balkans” Waste Management Plan in

4 Dibra.

A model developed by dldp ASPA trainings – Improving public administration 4 performance

XII edition OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2017

Best Practices 2017 National Competition Eight municipalities won awards for best practices in local government in the framework of the support that the Interior Ministry and Swiss Embassy give to new municipalities for the implementation of the Decentralization Strategy and Territorial Administrative Reform.

Present in the ceremony of distributing awards there were the Vice Premier, Mrs. Senida Mesi, the Swiss Ambassador, Mr. Christoph Graf, mayors and representatives of municipalities, national institutions and donors.

The Interior Ministry and the Swiss program dldp, which is implemented by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, and financed by the Swiss Government, organized the competition.

An award of 30,000 CHF was given to 5 municipalities (Vau i Dejës, Lezhë, Sarandë, Korçë, Vlorë). Four awards, 5,000 CHF each, were handed to 4 other municipalities: Shkodër, Mat, Korçë and Fier, selected as with the best practices in regional level.

A special award was given to Vlora municipality, as an “Evaluation from civil society for best practices of municipalities”.

Winning practices included improved tourism services, One Stop Shops, centres for handicapped people, and information and communication with citizens.

In her speech, Mrs. Mesi, speaking on best practices of the new municipalities after the implementation of the large reforms undertaken (territorial reform, decentralization reform, law on local finances – accompanied by an increase of transfers for municipalities), highlighted the fact that we are on a good direction to achieve and always better functioning of local government in the service of citizens and improving their lives.

“It is the duty of each of the 61 municipalities to undertake maximal efforts

to bring change in respective communities. In the framework of the Swiss program dldp and projects financed by the program in the local level, today there have been awarded only a part of municipalities”, stressed Mesi.

Today’s awards, she added, goes first for staffs and mayors, together with the congratulation that their experience to serve as a guide for other municipalities.

During the ceremony, it was presented also the Decentralization Monitoring Report, supported by dldp, which shows the pace of decentralization and depicts the level of achievements or challenges facing this process.

According to the report, there is an increase of 19% compared to 2016, of the unconditional transfer for local government from the state budget. On the other hand, the income of municipalities from taxes and tariffs have increased with 28% in comparison with the same period one year before.

The Best Practices National Competition of local governance aims just highlighting the efforts of the municipalities to respond to challenges that have resulted by the implementation of reforms, as well as promoting the best initiatives of these municipalities.

Organized for the second year in a row, this competition aims to turn into a tradition that promotes interaction between levels of governance and support the performance of municipalities.

RDA

Municipality

Award

1

Shkodër

Regional Award R1

1

Vau Dejës

National Award: Services

1

Lezhë

National Award (1/2): Economic development

2

Mat

Regional Award R2

3

Korçë

Regional Award R3

3

Korçë

National Award (1/2): Innovation

4

Fier

Regional Award R4

4

Vlorë

National Award (1/2): Innovation

4

Vlorë

National Award: Civil Society

4

Sarandë

National Award (1/2): Economic development

Conference: “Migration, Diaspora and Development in Albania and in the Western Balkans” The Conference “Migration, Diaspora and Development in Albania and in the Western Balkans” gathered international and Albanian scholars, students, local experts, development programs and diaspora representatives, in a platform to discuss international and good practices on why and how to involve diaspora and migrants into the native country processes at national and local level.

The Conference was organized in two days. Themes on Diaspora and the Local Development: Capitalizing experienced of Diaspora involvement in local processes were discussed the second day, October 28, 2017, which was organized by the Center for Economic and Social Studies and the Mediterranean University in Tirana, with the support of the Decentralization and Local Development Program - DLDP. The conference aimed to bring together scholars and relevant actors from Albania and the Western Balkans in order to create a forum for exchange of knowledge and discussion of the issues that surround migration research and policy, to challenge existing models and discourses of migration, diaspora and development, to address current policy challenges, and to offer solutions for better utilization of human mobility and potential of migrants.

Dldp has invested in developing models of involving Diaspora into local processes and activities. An excellent case is the case of former Commune of Dajç, now part of the new Municipality of Shkodër, where people from this commune living abroad (mainly Italy) have been involved in the funding of public infrastructure. Diaspora has been as

well in the focus of the Albanian Government; organizing last November, (2016) for the first time an extensive dedicated event Summit of Diaspora, which shows a clear willingness in favor of an inclusive trend.

Presentations in the conference were made by: - Prof. Russell King (Sussex University, UK) - Ph.D. Bresena Dema – Diaspora: fundraising opportunities (capitalization of the case of former Commune of Dajç and the transferred experience in Hot); - P h D. E r ka C a ro – C i t i ze n s participation: Diaspora as an active part of local native territories (participation models from GLP process in 5 Municipalities); Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania was represented by Mrs. Donika Hoxha, Director of the Department of Economic and Public Diplomacy, who stressed in her speech the importance of the diaspora involvement in the development of Albania, and the priorities set by the Albanian Government into facilitating and incentivizing such involvement.

Discussion panels composed of representers of the Albanian emigrants' community in Italy, and of diaspora members in the USA, served as a debate platform which provided more insight on how the Albanian diaspora has contributed for the developments in Albania, in various occasions at national and local level, and what are the expectations towards the Albanian Government in terms of more close relations established with emigrants and diaspora.

The Conference shall be followed up by a Policy brief, which will provide recommendations for the Albanian Government. Recommendations shall be consulted with key local representatives and shared with national actors.

Waste Management Plan in Dibra.

A model developed by dldp The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr. Klosi discussing with Dibra people on waste management plan developed by the Swiss program dldp.

During the visit of the Minister of Environment and tourism Mr. Blendi Klosi in Dibra, on November 11, 2017 a debate forum was organised with focus on “ P ro m o t i n g t h e m o d e l o f wa ste management".

In this activity participated numerous citizens, units' administrators, villages' administrators, representatives of civil society and representatives of the administration.

T h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f ro m t h e municipality presented the achievement and the challenges encountered during the project implementation for “Empowerment of waste management system in the Municipality of Dibër” and for the “Rehabilitation of the disposal site in Dibra

Municipality”, financed from dldp program with the technical support of Regional Environmental Centre (REC) in Albania.

For the implementation of this project there was drafted and approved the strategic document “Integrated urban waste management plan” for the new municipality, and invested in the local waste collection and transport infrastructure (195 new containers and one technological machine) and rehabilitated the waste site of the city.

In his speech, the Minister Klosi expressed the need and the necessity to clean not only Dibra, but also all Albania. The citizens should be aware of keeping clean not only their private premises but also the public spaces

through their involvement in this process.

Participants gave their opinions regarding this important problem.

During the discussions, it was requested the Ministry support to help the municipality for a long-term solutions with studies and investments in waste management field.

ASPA trainings – Improving public administration performance

Dldp in cooperation with the Albanian School of Public Administration (ASPA) has continued the national trainings for Module II and III on Local Finance M a n a ge m e nt a n d U r b a n Wa ste Management.

Considering the reforms undertaken by the Albanian Government in the field of decentralization and local government, as

well as the approval of the Decentralization Strategy, one of its main objectives is the raising of professional capabilities of LGU employees.

These trainings have improved the performance of public administration in delivering the services in a very professional and fast manner.

In collaboration with RDA 4, dldp and ASPA have started on October 9th the two days trainings in Vlora on Module II for Local Finance Management – Annual Budget; Budget Implementation and monitoring with the participation of related specialists.

The next training was organized with RDA 1 and RDA 2 in Tirana during 10-11 October.

While on October 17th together with RDA 3, these trainings concluded with participation of the specialists from Qark of

Korça, Berat and Elbasan.

In the framework of the Urban Waste Management Training Program in cooperation with ASPA and with the four Regional Development Agencies on 30-31 October was held the training on Module III, regarding the practices on recycling, composting and waste disposal in Pogradec.

Continuous trainings of experts from 61 local self-government units in the field of local public finance management, as part of the National Decentralization Strategy and Cross-Sectoral Strategy for Public Administration Reform, concluded with the organization of the national trainings on the module III organised during November, which took place in Gjirokastra and in Durres with the participation of respective finance experts from RDA4 and RDA1 and RDA 2.