ISSUE No. 28, Monthly Newsletter - April 2009 A Joint Effort of the Donor Technical Secretariat and the Department of Strategy and Donor Coordination www.dsdc.gov.al www.aidharmonisation.org.al Photo: Conference on Donor coordination in the Western Balkans and Turkey, held in Tirana on 2-3 April 2009 Donor Co-ordination in the In this issue • Donor Co-ordination in the Western Balkans and Turkey Western Balkans and Turkey The Department of Strategy and Donor Minister Berisha spoke about the reforms • International Consortium Coordination, and the European process and expressed his commitment Annual Plenary Meeting Commission, DG Enlargement jointly that all donor assistance will be used • Inauguration ceremony of the hosted on 2-3 April 2009 in Tirana a two- efficiently. At the end of the conference, Lushnja – Fier highway day conference on Donor coordination partner countries were encouraged to • Promoting social inclusion and in the Western Balkans and Turkey. The increase the capacity of co-ordination event gathered some 200 stakeholders to structures to ensure coherent use of celebrating Roma culture review the progress made in enhancing donor assistance, to establish structures • 2008 Living Standards donor co-ordination. The event was necessary for the efficient decentralized Measurements Survey opened by the Director General for management of IPA assistance, to support • USAID, 4th Judicial Reform Enlargement, Michael Leigh, Prime the national ownership of donor co- Index for Albania released Minister Sali Berisha, and the Ambassador ordination, to ensure the predictability • Roundtable on Corruption – of the Czech Republic, Marketa Fialkova. or aid and reducing transaction costs. In his speech, Mr. Leigh highlighted Participants welcomed the invitation of How to face it! the importance of organizing such a Sweden, as the next Presidency of the • Negotiating European conference at a time of a global financial EU, to the yearly donor conference to Integration: lessons from crisis, stating that the EU had already take place in Brussels on 19-20 October Spanish experience prepared an assistance package of 150 2009, where progress will be reviewed. • Italian contribution in the million Euros under IPA programming for All conference materials can be found at mental health care sector partner countries in the region, while 600 www.dsdc.gov.al or at http://ec.europa. • Meetings of the Sector million Euros would be offered by other eu/enlargement/projects-in-focus/ international financial institutions. Prime donor-coordination/index_en.htm. Working Groups 2 Inauguration ceremony of the Lushnja – Fier highway On 9 April 2009, the Ministry of Public Works Transport and Telecommunications inaugurated the Lushnja–Fier highway financed by the Italian Development Co-operation through some 20 million Euros. The 21.5 km long highway has been built by the Maltauro & Delma Italian building Photo: International Consortium Annual Plenary Meeting held on 28 April 2009 in Tirana company. Prime Minister Sali Berisha attended the inauguration ceremony, along with Italian International Consortium Is the Muriqan Joint Border Crossing Ambassador to Tirana Saba D’Elia Plenary Meeting Point a model for the integrated border management in Albania?; the actions and the Minister of Public Works The International Consortium (IC), taken in dealing successfully with the Transport and Telecommunications a group that includes Embassies, fight against drugs and trafficking; Sokol Olldashi. Along with the international missions and non- and TIMS progress and its future IT four lane highway, the project governmental organizations that offer sustainability challenges. IC Working includes the building of access development assistance in the area of law Group on Legal Issues moderated by roads, three overpasses as well as enforcement and rule of law in Albania, chief of Legal Department at OSCE PiA, five safe passages for the public. The held its annual meeting on 28 April 2009 Frank Dalton, included presentations on importance of the project lies in in Tirana. The event was co-ordinated working toward increase transparency the connection of the two centres by ICITAP, the OSCE Presence and and co-operation in legal reforms; the of Myzeqe lowlands, Lushnja and Delegation of the European Commission. implementation of alternatives to the The U.S Embassy Deputy Chief of detention of juveniles; addressing the Fier: Lushnja becomes the only Mission, Stephen A. Cristina, the Head of shortcomings in prison system identified town with a highway crossing the European Commission Delegation in by national and international inspections/ between it and further connecting Tirana, Ambassador Helmuth Lohan, the reports; and building a credible Witness this town with Fier. Well connected Head of the OSCE Presence, Ambassador Protection Programme. Presentations transport infrastructure is crucial Robert Bosch, Minister of Interior, Bujar and other materials from the conference for unlocking economies and Nishani, and Minister of Justice Enkelejd can be found here. sharpening competitiveness. Alibeaj, all congratulated the Consortium The need to modernize regional for its contribution to the advancement transport constitutes a challenge of the rule of law. Mr. Ahmet Prenci, UN builds kindergarten to benefit to trade expansion and European the General Director of Albanian State Roma children in Albania Police provided an overview of the integration. support provided by the EU, the US and In the village of Rom on the outskirts Photo: Inauguration of Lushnja-Fier highway a number of international organizations, of Fier, UNDP and UNV are building a thanking them for their contribution kindergarten to benefit 40 Roma children. with regard to developing the capacities The project is part of a larger effort in of the State Police. The Department of the framework of Delivering as One Strategy and Donor Coordination gave a UN to empower vulnerable minority presentation on how they will work with communities in Albania. The project international partners to improve donor works to reduce disparities and promote co-ordination. The Issues moderated by social inclusion by supporting civil ICITAP Program Manager, Darrel Hart, registration, vocational training, local included briefings on the sustainability participatory planning and investments in and impact of police training; the small priority projects. Since the project’s implementation of community policing; inception in March 2008, amogst others, 3 165 members of the Roma and Egyptian communities have been assisted in obtaining registration documents to ensure access to social services. United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Acting Administrator Ad Melkert visited the project in March during an official visit to Albania and reiterated the need to support vulnerable communities and the importance of women’s participation in advancement of social inclusion. While talking to local community members, Mr. Melkert said, “Every person, every child deserves good health care, good education and the United Nations is promoting and working in this direction.” During his visit in Albania, Ad Melkert also met Photo: Under Secretary General Melkert meets with Roma Community in Fier. with the President Bamir Top and Prime Minister Sali Berisha and thanked them European Governments in the ‘Roma Fier, Elbasan and Tirana, in partnership for their leadership over the Delivering Decade Initiative’ and in this context, with the Ministry of Labour and Social as One initiative and for the fruitful is drafting the Albanian National Affairsand Equal Opportunities. cooperation with UNDP. Action Plan for Roma that addresses the overall needs of the community. UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP USAID, 4th Judicial Reform Promoting social inclusion Resident Representative, Mrs. Gulden Index for Albania released and celebrating Roma culture Turkoz-Cosslett, described the commemoration of International Roma On 10 April 2009, the American Bar Roma community members, civil society, Day an opportunity to recognize the Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Government unique contribution of Roma to Albanian ROLI), with support from USAID, ministers, United Nations representatives life and celebrate Roma culture and released the 4th Judicial Reform Index and media came together to mark values. The commemoration serves for Albania, at an event held at the International Roma Day on 8 April 2009. as a opportunity to share a common Magistrates School in Tirana. “A strong International Roma Day is a celebration of objective and commitment to improve judiciary is the key to Albania’s long-term Roma history, traditions and culture and it the life of Roma as well as their further success,” said USAID’s Mission Director, aims to raise awareness on the challenges integration into society. A Roma Cultural Roberta Mahoney. “The United States facing Roma communities worldwide. Fair was held to promote Roma culture Government is firmly committed to the and social inclusion through a variety development of an effective, impartial and The Prime Minister acknowledged of activities throughout the day. The democratic judicial system in Albania.” the Roma community’s contribution event was organized in the framework She urged legal professionals to use to Albanian society over many years. of “Empowering the Vulnerable this assessment to build a transparent He noted that the Government of Communities of Albania” project and fair judicial system comprised