The Swiss Cooperation Office promotes two important projects

TIRANA. Dec. 13- The Swiss Cooperation Office in Albania has launched tow important initiatives to support two programs in Albania. It has signed an agreement with the UN Resident Coordinator to support the One UN Programme in Albania with a contribution of some 400,000 euro. Switzerland seeks to involve itself in the joint program on gender equality of the One UN Pilot. A second focus lies on supporting the unification of the management of UN participants. Switzerland is strongly supporting the UN reform in general, aiming at enhancing the effectiveness of the important work done by the UN organizations in national development cooperation. Albania was selected as a pilot country for the One UN project. The goals of One UN in Albania fully corresponds to national priorities and reduces costs in line with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Since 1996, Swiss Cooperation has operated in Albania to promote decentralization and local governance, the continuing development of the private sector and promoting the access of all citizens to basic infrastructure and social services.
The second program is a one-time grant of about Euro 450’000.- on supporting the implementation of an “Integrated Planning System”. It will to this aim sign a corresponding trust fund agreement with the World Bank. Switzerland, together with other donors, aims at contributing to the “National Strategy for Development and Integration 2007-2013” and its implementation particularly through a sound public financial management. This is in full accordance with the “Paris Declaration” on increased aid effectiveness, signed by both Governments. The project – administered by the World Bank and co-funded by Austria, EC, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom as Italy – supports implementation of one functional planning system across the whole government as set out by the Department for Strategy and Donor Coordination (DSDC) under the Prime Minister’s Office. The activities foresee the consolidation of an Integrated Planning System across all governmental bodies, the full implementation in all ministries with emphasis on organizational development, increased budgeting capacity and strengthened accountability mechanisms. The service delivery capacity should thus increase for the benefit of all citizens of Albania. Overall this broad planning framework for the Government of Albania will connect meaningful the NSDI plus its 36 (sub-) strategies with a parallel comprehensive medium-term budget.