IN DEMOCRACY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

20 YEARs OF pARTnERsHIpINDEMOCRACYANDGOODGOVERNANCE

EnGAGEd cITIZEns FOR BETTER GOvERnAncE

• Policyandlegalreform:USAIDwillhelpimproveconsultationamongthecentralandlocalgovernmentsonlawsandpolicydecisionsthataffectlocalfinanceanddeliveryofservices.

• Localmanagement:USAIDwillhelpincreasethecapacityoflocalgovernmentstobeeffective,transparent,accountable,andfinanciallyhealthy.

• Planningandmanagingurbangrowth:USAIDwillhelpexpandthecapacityoflocalgovernmentstocomplywithanewurbanplanninglawandtoensureorderlyeconomicdevelopment.

sUppORT FOR ELEcTORAL pROcEss:

• USAIDsupportedlargedomesticelectionsmonitoringeffortsinalllocalandnationalelectionsduringthisperiod.In2007,USAIDledadomesticmonitoringeffortwhichrecruitedandtrainedaround3,000monitorsstationedatpollingplacesthroughoutthecountry.

• USAIDfundedthefirst-everpre-electionpublicopinionpollinMay2005.Thepollutilizedalargenationalsampleandwasthesinglebestpredictoroftheelectionresult.Polldatawasalsousedtohelppartiesshapetheirelectoralplatformsinadvanceoftheelections.

• USAIDsponsoredahistoricallyunprecedentedseriesofparliamen-tarydebatesthroughoutAlbaniathatweretelevisedonanationalnetworkcreatedthroughUSAIDfunding.

• Amediamonitoringeffortthatusedacomputerizedsystemtotrackbiasinbroadcast/printcoverageduringthe2007electioncampaignsproducedaninteractivereportingsystemthatcompelledmediatoprovidebalanceincoveringelectioneventsandissues.

MUnIcIpAL dEvELOpMEnT

Since 2000, USAID has provided more than $16 million to assist in Albania’s decentral-ization 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.

• USAIDhelpedestablishLocalEconomicGrowthCommitteesintenmunici-palities,providingaforumfordiscussionandpromotingmoreeffectivecom-municationamongdifferentsectorsinthemunicipality.

• USAIDprovidedtechnicalassistanceonlocaltaxcollection,administration,andenforcement.Computerizationofthetaxsystemintentargetmunicipal-itiesbroughtaboutamoreefficientandeffectiveadministrationoftheirtaxcollectionsandservices.

• USAIDprovidedguidancetotargetmunicipalitiesduringtheassettransferprocessfromtheCentralGovernment,andthenassistedseveralmunicipali-tiestorecordandregisterownershipoftheirproperties,includingGramsh,Korce,Lezha,LibrazhdandPogradec.

• AttheCentralGovernmentlevel,USAIDhasworkedwiththeMinistryofInteriortodevelopguidancefortheregistration,managementanduseofmunicipalassets.

• Atthenationallevel,USAIDassistedtheNationalTerritorialPlanningAgen-cytodevelopregulationstoguideimplementationofthenewNationalTer-ritorialPlanningLaw.

BUILdInG MORE EFFEcTIvE, REspOnsIvE

And AccOUnTABLE LOcAL GOvERnMEnTs

• USAIDhasprovidedsupporttolocalgovernmentsince1992,withas-sistanceonmunicipalservicesfocusedonutilitiesmanagement,landuseplanning,andinfrastructuredevelopment,emphasizingtheroleofpublic-privatepartnerships.

• USAIDhelpedcreatethefirstintergovernmentalworkinggroupamongthecityanddistrictofTirana,theMinistryofConstruction,andtheNa-tionalPlanningInstitute,whichplanneddevelopmentofa70-hectarearea,identifyingsitesandrelatedinfrastructureneeds,andaddressinglegal/poli-cyissuesofresidentialupgrading.

• USAIDplayedanintegralroleinestablishingthelegalandinstitutionalmechanismsforprivatesectordeliveryandmanagementofmunicipalser-vices,resultinginpassageoftheConcessionLawforPublicServices,LawonPrivatizationofthewatersector,andcomplementarylawsenablingprivatizationandcontractingforwater,wastewater,andsanitation.

• USAIDassistanceenabledaninformeddialogueaboutdecentralizationbetweenlocalgovernmentsandcentralministries,strengtheninglocalgov-ernments’abilitytoadvocateandensureimplementationofreforms,par-ticularlythroughtherecently-formedAssociationofAlbanianMayors,andensuringthatessentialauthoritiesareincorporatedinrevisedlegislation.

• Intheareaofurbanservices,USAIDassistedtheMinistryofConstructionandthreecitiestoprivatizesolidwastecollectionandtodevelopastrat-egytoimplementwaterprivatizationinTiranaandothercities.

sUppORT FOR dEMOcRATIc InsTITUTIOns And pROcEssEs

• USAIDprovidedthe1992-1996Parliamentwithanelectronicvotingsys-tem,asoundsystem,computers,twoprintingpressesandassociatedtechnicalassistance.AUSAID-sponsored1995workshopseriesledtothefirstpublichearingofaparliamentarycommission.AUSAIDfinancedgranteehasfocusedonstrengtheningpoliticalorganizationssince1994.

• Throughoutthe1990’s,USAIDadvisorscarriedoutpoliticalparty-buildingsessionsinTiranaandincitieswiththepoliticalparties,plusseparatelead-ershiptrainingsessionswithpoliticallyactivewomenandtheirorganiza-tionsandsupportgroups.Theprogramassisted33NGOswith45grantsandprovidedtrainingandtechnicalassistancetoover600NGOrepresen-tativesonbuildingpolicyanalysis,formulation,implementation,andadvo-cacyskillsandestablishingpartnershipsbetweengovernmentandNGOs.

pROJEcTs 1991-1999• HousingAssessment(1992)JointWorldBank-USAIDMission• UrbanInfrastructureInvestmentandDevelopmentPrivatizationPilotProgramforWater

Enterprises• PublicAdministration(1995-2000)UrbanInstitute• HousingandUrbanDevelopment(1992-2001)withWorldBank• HousingSectorReformProgram(1996)withWorldBank• HousingandUrbanDevelopmentAssistance(1998-1999)RTIInternational,Short-Term

InvestmentPlansforServiceImprovementsinTiranaandDurres• IndependentMediainAlbania(ProfessionalMediaProgram)(1999-2004)International

Research&ExchangeBoard(IREX)

pROJEcTs 2000-2010• CivilSocietyDevelopment(2000-2005)NationalDemocraticInstitute• AssistancetoVoterRegistration(TechnicalElectionsAssistance)(2002-2005)• PoliticalPartyBuilding&CitizenParticipation(2002-2004)withNationalDemocratic

Institute(NDI)• PoliticalPartyBuilding&CitizenParticipation(2004-2007)withNationalDemocratic

Institute(NDI)• ParliamentaryAssistanceandYouthProgram(2002-2005)InternationalRepublicanInstitute(IRI)• ConflictManagementandNGOSupport(2001-2004)PartnersforDemocraticChange(PDC)• LocalGovernmentAssistance&Decentralization(LGAD)(2000-2003)• DemocracyandGovernanceinAlbania(2004-2007)withNationalDemocraticInstitute(NDI)• LocalGovernmentandDecentralizationinAlbaniaproject(LGDA)(2004-2007)• ElectionAdministration(2002-2006)• ResourceCitiesPartnerships(2001-2003)• CityLinksProgram:Tirana-CatawbaResourceCitiesPartnershipInternational(2005-2007)• HopeFellowshipProgram(2006-2009)withtheNationalAlbaniaAmericanCouncil• SupportforPersonswithDisabilities(2004-2009)• PeaceCorpsSmallProjectsAssistanceProgram(2003-2011)PeaceCorps• LocalGovernancePrograminAlbania(2007-2011)

pROJEcTs 2011 And BEYOnd• SustainableWheelchairServiceforPeoplewithDisabilitiesinAlbania(2009-2012)• EconomicEmpowermentofPeoplewithDisabilities(2010-2012)• DevelopmentCreditAuthority(DCA)GuaranteeforMunicipalLending(2008-2020)

RaiffeissenBankinAlbania/NationalCommercialBankofAlbania

2011ANDBEYONDTHE2000sTHE1990s