U.N. program launched in Albania to improve efficiency of world aid

TIRANA, May 14 – The United Nations on Monday launched an experimental project of streamlining its operations in Albania in an effort to increase its impact and eliminate bureaucracy, overlapping and fragmentation of the agencies’ work in the country.
Following a request made by the Albanian Prime Minister in December 2006, Albania was selected in January 2007 as one of the eight countries around the world to pilot the One UN program. The One UN aims to enhance development results and impact by bringing together the comparative advantages of the UN system within a single strategic program.
The program will support Albania’s national goal to join the European Union and achieve the Millennium Development Goals, with the ultimate aim of making a difference in the lives of Albanians.
Albania was selected as one of eight countries, which included Cape Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uruguay and Viet Nam to pilot the One U.N. initiative that will try to improve implementation of the U.N. agencies’ projects and effectiveness, according to Kemal Dervis, U.N. Development Program Administrator.
The One UN Program will be implemented in a collaborative manner under the strategic leadership of the Government of Albania.
The One Leader refers to the United Nations Resident Coordinator who leads the UN response to national development priorities, including the coordination of operational development activities. In order to achieve greater impact in reducing poverty and improving people’s lives, the UN Resident Coordinator draws on the expertise and comparative advantages of the various resident and non-resident UN Agencies.
The UN Resident Coordinator is expected to provide strategic leadership throughout the programming process, bringing together relevant analytical capacities, and developing synergies between the various UN assets and mandates. The coordinator will be responsible for providing ongoing guidance and support to the UN Country Team during program implementation, including mobilization of additional resources.
U.N. and Albanian government experts will work intensively in the next couple of months to coordinate efforts on the country’s priority to join the European Union.
Participating agencies and funds in the One UN Program to date include: UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, WHO, UNHCR, UNIFEM, UNV and UNAIDS. This is an inclusive process that strives to bring other UN Agencies that would provide a comparative advantage in support of Albania’s national priorities.
In this context, discussions have started with ILO and non-resident Agencies such as IFAD, UNEP and UNESCO and they are expected to join along with others as participating agencies and active partners in the process of developing the One UN Program. Enhanced collaboration with the World Bank is also foreseen within the One UN Program.
“That will help us have deeper access in the potential and resources of some 38 U.N. agencies,” said Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
The One UN is about the UN family working more efficiently together while UN Agencies continue to maintain their distinct identity, rich diversity and program expertise. The One UN will improve joint programming, focus, and coherence on the ground – for greater and sustainable impact of UN intervention in Albania.
Albania, one of Europe’s poorest countries with more than one-fifth of the population living under the poverty line of US$2 (1.47) per day, signed a pre-membership agreement with the European Union last year and hopes to join NATO by 2008.