Parliamentarians and Durres Community Discuss Challenges Of
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ISSUE No. 15, Monthly E-briefing - February 2008 A Joint Effort of the Donor Technical Secretariat and the Department of Strategy and Donor Coordination www.aidharmonisation.org.al www.km.gov.al Photo: Deputy Prime Minister Gazmend Oketa, chair of the Parliamentary Committee for European Integration, Ilir Meta, Ambassador Sweder van Voorst tot Voorst of the Netherlands and Dan Redford, Political Officer of the OSCE Presence in Albania at a regional forum on issues of European Integration in Durres.(photo: OSCE / Fabiola Haxhillari) In this issue Parliamentarians and Durres community 1. Parliamentarians and Durres discuss challenges of European integration community discuss challenges in an OSCE Presence-organized forum of European integration 2. Inauguration of a new Pre- Trial Detention Centre in Vlora Social and economic developments that included Deputy Prime Minister Gazmend 3. Support the School of are expected to affect the Durres region in Oketa, chair of the Parliamentary Magistrates of Albania the process of European integration were Committee for European Integration, Ilir 4. National meeting “Migration: discussed on 20 February 2008 in Durres, Meta, Ambassador Sweder van Voorst tot new scenario for developing at a policy forum that brought together Voorst of the Netherlands, deputy chair and cooperation between Italy and Members of Parliament, local leaders, Democratic Party Member of Parliament Albania” business and civil society groups. The event Genc Juka, Socialist Member of Parliament was organized by the OSCE Presence in Taulant Balla, as well as other Members of 5. USAID and Ministry of Health Albania, the Albanian Assembly and the Parliament and local authorities. Sign Agreement on Primary European Movement Albania. Health Care Reforms Similar forums will be organized in several Discussions focused on problems of the regions of the country during the year. They are 6. Anti-Corruption Study by Sida region, development policies, local industries part of the Presence’s activities in the framework and free movement of citizens. Participants of its Parliamentary Support Project. 7. Report on Implementation of National Disability Strategy 2 The European Commission and Sector Related Activities the Council of Europe support the School of Magistrates On 8 February 2008, the European Commission and the Council of Europe launched a jointly funded project to support the School of Magistrates. The project Support to the Sustainability of the School of Magistrates of Albania is funded to the value of 400,000 Euros and will be implemented by the Council of Europe. It aims Photo: Minister of Justice and Head of European Commission Delegation inaugurate new Pre-Trial Detention Centre in Vlora (Photo: Delegation of European Commission in Albania) at enhancing the management and operational capacity of the School of Magistrates. Minister of Justice and 2006 and lasted for some 14 months. For the next 18 months, the Head of European The construction and furnishing of Council of Europe will work Commission Delegation the Centre is an important step in the with the School, focusing on the implementation of the Master Plan for inaugurate new Pre-Trial training of 360 magistrates, 60 the Albanian pre trial detention system. teachers and 20 students. The Detention Centre in Vlora The Master plan provides an overview opening event was hosted by of the pre trial detention and makes On 21 February 2008, the Minister of Ambassador Helmuth Lohan, recommendations for investments in Justice, Enkelejd Alibeaj, and the Head the Director of the School of the sector. The design of six additional of the Delegation of the European Magistrates, Arjana Fullani and Pre-Trial Detention Centres in Fier, Commission to Albania, Ambassador Margaret Killerby, Director Elbasan, Berat, Gjirokastra, Kukes and Helmuth Lohan inaugurated the new a.i. of Cooperation in Human Shkodra are identified in the Master plan Pre-Trial Detention Centre in Vlora. Rights and Legal Affairs at the and will be funded from EU assistance The design, construction and furnishing Council of Europe. programmes starting in May 2008. This of the Vlora Pre-detention centre will be followed by the construction of are funded under the EU CARDS the Pre-Trial Detention Centres in Fier Programme to the value of 3.7 million and Elbasan. Euros. The works began in August Photo: Inauguration of Pre-Trial Detention Centre in Vlora (Photo: Delegation of European Commission in Albania) 3 National meeting on “Migration: New scenario for developing cooperation between Italy and Albania” On 29 January 2008, the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, the Italian Development Cooperation and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), organized a national meeting in Tirana on Migration: new scenario for developing cooperation between Italy and Albania. The event was prepared in co-operation with Italian agencies operating in the area of migration such as Caritas Italiana, Patronato ACLI- IPSIA and Regione Emilia Romagna. The event was introduced by Minister, Photo: USAID Mission Director, Edward T. Landau and the Minister of Health, Nard Ndoka signed a three year, $5.5 Koço Barka and the Ambassador million project, ProShëndetit is providing assistance to improve primary health care services at health centres in National Conference of Italy in Albania, Saba d’Elia. The Albania. (Photo: USAID Albania). meeting was attended by some on the Role of Local 100 representatives from Albanian institutions, foreign embassies, Health Government in international and non governmental the Fight against organizations, the private sector USAID and Ministry of Health and civil society. The information Sign Agreement on Primary Corruption and statistics provided concerning Health Care Reforms migration to Italy (381, 000 regular On 1 February 2008, the Office migrants, 77.900 students enrolled in On 22 February 2008, USAID and the of the Deputy Prime Minister the Italian school system, more than Ministry of Health signed a memorandum organised a National Conference 15, 300 businesses run by Albanians) of understanding to improve primary on the Role of Local Government highlight the importance and health care services. USAID’s three year, in the Fight against Corruption. potentialities of migration for Albania’s 5.5 million USD project, ProShëndetit is The event was funded by the OSCE future development. The event focused providing assistance to: improve primary Presence in Albania. Welcoming on the challenges to manage migration health care services at health centres, remarks were delivered by Head of related flows in order to ensure an upgrade the skills of doctors and nurses, the OSCE Presence, Ambassador effective and concrete valorisation develop a national electronic health Robert Bosch, Deputy Prime of migration resources, experiences information system, and strengthen the Minister Gazmend Oketa, Deputy and know-how. Thus, continuous insurance and financial management of Interior Minister Ferdinand Poni cooperation among all entities involved health facilities. was highlighted and the Italian and the President of the Albanian Development Cooperation confirmed Association of Municipalities, its commitment to begin new initiatives Refik Rrugija. Representatives of USAID Programme to in this sector. central and local government as Expand Method Choices well as of the Inspectorate for the in Family Planning Disclosure and Verification of Assets delivered keynote speeches. On 14 February 2008, USAID sponsored a The main aim of the conference two-day consensus building stakeholders’ was to introduce the principles of meeting Building Consensus for Action: the Government Anti- Corruption Meeting the Family Planning Needs of Strategy in the context of local Albanian Women that marked the start government and decentralisation a new project ACCESS-FP, a USAID reform, as well as to address the supported global programme lead by role and measures that both the JHPIEGO, an international health affiliate local and central government of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, should undertake to make possible USA. ACCESS-FP will support the its implementation in practice. Photo: the National Meeting ‘Migration: new scenario for developing Ministry of Health’s efforts to improve cooperation between Italy and Albania’, jointly organized by the MOLSAEO, IOM and the Italian Development Cooperation (Photo: Office of the Italian Development Cooperation). 4 Albanian maternal and reproductive health as well civil society as increase knowledge, access and use of modern methods of contraception. organizations In the next 18 months, the project will promote increased work in Tirana, Shkodra, and Korça to address family planning and reproductive participation of health needs of women in the extended women in elections postpartum (after-birth) and post- abortion periods. Another aim will be to expand woman’s contraceptive choices In a forum, organized in to include an intrauterine contraceptive Tirana on 9 February 2008 by device (IUCD) to provide a long-term, Elections to Conduct Agency reliable and safe family planning method (ECA) and supported by the for women in Albania. OSCE Presence in Albania, the Council of Europe and Agriculture UNIFEM, civil society experts prepared a set of USAID Supports Agribusiness Photo: Ready to do business, Albanian businessmen recommendations aiming to pose at the entrance of the Fruit Logistica Trade Fair in Berlin (Photo: USAID Albania). increase women’s role in politics