20 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP IN DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND PROCESSES • USAID provided the 1992-1996 Parliament with an electronic voting system, a sound system, computers, two printing presses and associated technical assistance. A USAID-sponsored 1995 workshop series led to the first public hearing of a parliamentary commission. A USAID financed grantee has focused on strengthening political organizations since 1994. • Throughout the 1990’s, USAID advisors carried out political party-building sessions in Tirana and in cities with the political parties, plus separate leadership training sessions with politically active women and their organizations and support groups. The program assisted 33 NGOs with 45 grants and provided training and technical assistance to over 600 NGO representatives on building policy analysis, formulation, implementation, and advocacy skills and establishing partnerships between government and NGOs.
BUILDING MORE EFFECTIVE, RESPONSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS • USAID has provided support to local government since 1992, with assistance on municipal services focused on utilities management, land use planning, and infrastructure development, emphasizing the role of publicprivate partnerships. • USAID helped create the first intergovernmental working group among the city and district of Tirana, the Ministry of Construction, and the National Planning Institute, which planned development of a 70-hectare area, identifying sites and related infrastructure needs, and addressing legal/policy issues of residential upgrading. • USAID played an integral role in establishing the legal and institutional mechanisms for private sector delivery and management of municipal services, resulting in passage of the Concession Law for Public Services, Law on Privatization of the water sector, and complementary laws enabling privatization and contracting for water, wastewater, and sanitation. • USAID assistance enabled an informed dialogue about decentralization between local governments and central ministries, strengthening local governments’ ability to advocate and ensure implementation of reforms, particularly through the recently-formed Association of Albanian Mayors, and ensuring that essential authorities are incorporated in revised legislation. • In the area of urban services, USAID assisted the Ministry of Construction and three cities to privatize solid waste collection and to develop a strategy to implement water privatization in Tirana and other cities.
The
1990s
SUPPORT FOR ELECTORAL PROCESS: • USAID supported large domestic elections monitoring efforts in all local and national elections during this period. In 2007, USAID led a domestic monitoring effort which recruited and trained around 3,000 monitors stationed at polling places throughout the country. • USAID funded the first-ever pre-election public opinion poll in May 2005. The poll utilized a large national sample and was the single best predictor of the election result. Poll data was also used to help parties shape their electoral platforms in advance of the elections. • USAID sponsored a historically unprecedented series of parliamentary debates throughout Albania that were televised on a national network created through USAID funding. • A media monitoring effort that used a computerized system to track bias in broadcast/print coverage during the 2007 election campaigns produced an interactive reporting system that compelled media to provide balance in covering election events and issues.
MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT
ENGAGED CITIZENS FOR BETTER GOVERNANCE
Since 2000, USAID has provided more than $16 million to assist in Albania’s decentralization efforts. To support this process, in 2008 USAID started an $8 million, four year local governance program (LGPA), to stimulate local economic growth, improve local governance, and strengthen civic and private sector engagement in local development.
• Policy and legal reform: USAID will help improve consultation among the central and local governments on laws and policy decisions that affect local finance and delivery of services. • Local management: USAID will help increase the capacity of local governments to be effective, transparent, accountable, and financially healthy. • Planning and managing urban growth: USAID will help expand the capacity of local governments to comply with a new urban planning law and to ensure orderly economic development.
• USAID helped establish Local Economic Growth Committees in ten municipalities, providing a forum for discussion and promoting more effective communication among different sectors in the municipality. • USAID provided technical assistance on local tax collection, administration, and enforcement. Computerization of the tax system in ten target municipalities brought about a more efficient and effective administration of their tax collections and services. • USAID provided guidance to target municipalities during the asset transfer process from the Central Government, and then assisted several municipalities to record and register ownership of their properties, including Gramsh, Korce, Lezha, Librazhd and Pogradec. • At the Central Government level, USAID has worked with the Ministry of Interior to develop guidance for the registration, management and use of municipal assets. • At the national level, USAID assisted the National Territorial Planning Agency to develop regulations to guide implementation of the new National Territorial Planning Law.
The
2011
2000s
and
BEYOND
PROJECTS 1991-1999
PROJECTS 2000-2010
PROJECTS 2011 AND BEYOND
• Housing Assessment (1992) Joint World Bank -USAID Mission
• Civil Society Development (2000-2005) National Democratic Institute • Assistance to Voter Registration (Technical Elections Assistance) (2002-2005) • Political Party Building & Citizen Participation (2002-2004) with National Democratic Institute (NDI) • Political Party Building & Citizen Participation (2004-2007) with National Democratic Institute (NDI) • Parliamentary Assistance and Youth Program (2002-2005) International Republican Institute (IRI) • Conflict Management and NGO Support (2001-2004) Partners for Democratic Change (PDC) • Local Government Assistance & Decentralization (LGAD) (2000-2003) • Democracy and Governance in Albania (2004-2007) with National Democratic Institute (NDI) • Local Government and Decentralization in Albania project (LGDA) (2004-2007) • Election Administration (2002-2006) • Resource Cities Partnerships (2001-2003) • City Links Program: Tirana-Catawba Resource Cities Partnership International (2005-2007) • Hope Fellowship Program (2006-2009) with the National Albania American Council • Support for Persons with Disabilities (2004-2009) • Peace Corps Small Projects Assistance Program (2003-2011) Peace Corps • Local Governance Program in Albania (2007-2011)
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• Urban Infrastructure Investment and Development Privatization Pilot Program for Water Enterprises • Public Administration (1995-2000) Urban Institute • Housing and Urban Development (1992-2001) with World Bank • Housing Sector Reform Program (1996) with World Bank • Housing and Urban Development Assistance (1998-1999) RTI International, Short-Term Investment Plans for Service Improvements in Tirana and Durres • Independent Media in Albania (Professional Media Program) (1999-2004) International Research & Exchange Board (IREX)
Sustainable Wheelchair Service for People with Disabilities in Albania (2009-2012) • Economic Empowerment of People with Disabilities (2010-2012) • Development Credit Authority (DCA) Guarantee for Municipal Lending (2008-2020) Raiffeissen Bank in Albania / National Commercial Bank of Albania