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26 September 2023
Colours of Resilience: Young Refugees in Albania Paint Hopes and Memories
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22 September 2023
ILO Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Programme in Albania
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Video
21 September 2023
Secretary-General António Guterres video message on International Day of Peace
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Albania
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. Learn how 19 UN Agencies work together to support Albania’s achievement of the SDGs. Click on any SDG icon below:
Press Release
27 April 2023
UNDP and UNFPA sign new partnership with Department of Journalism and Communication to Combat Divisive Narratives in Albania
The goal of this partnership is to identify ethnic stereotypes in traditional and social media, increase the knowledge and capacities of 600 students, 40 young journalists, and the public on the use of constructive narratives by avoiding ethnic stereotypes. This initiative will analyze media content from 12 traditional (online and audio-visual) and social media for the period between March to August 2023 regarding the use of ethnic stereotypes, develop tools and methodology for the deconstruction of negative ethnic stereotypes, and raise awareness and capacities of 600 students and 40 young journalists on the use of constructive narratives in traditional and social media.
The methodological approach of this initiative includes media monitoring, production of manuals and dictionaries to deconstruct negative stereotypes, video production and broadcasting. Traditional and social media will be subjects of monitoring and awareness raising, while young journalists and students will act as the agents of change.
Monica Merino, UNDP Representative in Albania, emphasizes: “With the rise of divisive narratives and rhetoric in Albania, this partnership is crucial in promoting constructive and respectful public discourse within and across communities. WE are happy of this partnership with the Journalism and Communication Department at the Faculty of History and Philology. By empowering students of journalism to engage in constructive narratives, we can strengthen intercultural dialogue, inclusion, gender equality, and create mutual understanding and trust. This collaboration will help promote a more constructive and respectful public discourse within and across communities, which is essential in promoting peace, stability, and progress."
The rise of divisive narratives and rhetoric has highlighted the need for more constructive, fact-based narratives and respectful public discourse within and across communities. Divisive narratives have the potential to aggravate regional dynamics, mistrust, and grievances. The degree of internet and cell phone penetration in the region, combined with COVID-19 social restrictions, offers massive platforms for narratives to propagate.
UNFPA Head of Office, Dr. Manuela Bello stated that: “For UNFPA partnering with young journalists is especially important to tackle divisive narratives and hate speech among groups of diverse social backgrounds and sexual orientations, and key young populations. In addition, we aim to strengthen the engagement of young people who recognize the crucial influence of traditional gender norms across identity and community lines to promote constructive narratives and combat hate speech and patriarchal gender norms, in order to increase dialogue and mutual understanding among these groups and promote gender equality.”
This partnership between UNDP, UNFPA, and Tirana University's Faculty of History and Philology is a crucial step in promoting constructive and respectful public discourse within and across communities in Albania. It aims to empower young people to engage in constructive narratives, strengthen intercultural dialogue, inclusion, gender equality, and create mutual understanding and trust in the Western Balkans.
To find out more about the project, please go here: Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality & Trust | United Nations Development Programme (undp.org).
For media inquiries, please contact:
For UNDP: Nora Kushti: nora.kushti@undp.org
For UNFPA: Elida Nuri: enuri@unfpa.org
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Press Release
28 March 2023
The United Nations in Albania condemns the tragic attack that occurred yesterday at Top Channel.
We urge the Albanian authorities to conduct a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the attack to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. It is crucial that the safety of journalists and media workers is guaranteed and that measures are taken to prevent future attacks on media professionals and institutions.
The UN in Albania is dedicated to supporting Albania in its efforts to protect the human rights of all citizens.
The UN in Albania is dedicated to supporting Albania in its efforts to protect the human rights of all citizens.
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Press Release
25 October 2021
Albania and UN renew commitment to joint work on sustainable development for the next five years
The Government of Albania and the United Nations Country Team in Albania announced their renewed commitment to a joint programme of work for the next five years this Monday, as Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj and UN Resident Coordinator Fiona McCluney signed the Albania-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026.
The signing ceremony took place during a dual-themed event marking the 76th anniversary of the UN held at the palace of Brigades in Tirana. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs with the Office of Deputy Prime Minister of Albania and the UN Albania, with participation of key development stakeholders in the country.
In the spirit of the UN Day and the recent launch of Secretary General’s report on Our Common Agenda aiming to strengthen governance for present and future generations, Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Chair of the Albania-UN Joint Executive Committee Arben Ahmetaj announced that the Albanian Government and the UN system in Albania have agreed on a new Cooperation Framework (CF) which will start this January and run through 2026.
The new Cooperation Framework builds upon Albania’s key priorities, the accession to the European Union and delivering on the national pledge to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its nationalized SDG targets, with a focus on the quality of health and education, good governance and rule of law, public service provision, and effective response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It totals an amount of 282 million USD for the full cycle.
In his speech at the signing ceremony, Mr Ahmetaj praised the current cooperation between Albania and UN and pledged continuous support for cooperation with UN: “As we complete a successful cycle of joint work with UN agencies in Albania, we are ready to renew our commitment to sustainable development” – he said.
On behalf of nineteen resident and non-resident UN agencies and programmes in Albania, the UN Resident Coordinator Fiona McCluney reiterated the principal areas of work of the new Cooperation Framework and the urgency of action to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals: “In the spirit of our joint action is our commitment to fight poverty, promote human rights and gender equality, protect the environment and tackle climate change, support economic and social reforms” she noted (read full speech here).
The UN day is celebrated worldwide on 24 October of each year to mark the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document the United Nations officially came into being. This year the celebrations of UN day in Albania take place as Albania takes up mandate in the UN Security Council for the next two years.
In the words of Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs HE Olta Xhaçka, who delivered the keynote speech at the event, the SC mandate “is a prestigious achievement that shows the maturity of Albanian diplomacy and a recognition of the constructive role of Albania in terms of security, stability and development”. HE Xhaçka appreciated the role of the UN system in Albania in taking forward the commitments of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Watch a short video showcasing some of the achievements of the Albania-UN cooperation and the way forward:
***
More details on the Albania-UN Cooperation framework for Sustainable Development 2022-2026
On January 1, 2022, a new Albania-UN Cooperation Framework comes into force.
It offers a tremendous opportunity to scale up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and demonstrate concrete results on the ground for the people of Albania.
This Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (CF) between the Government of Albania and the UN system is anchored by country priorities:
The National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) with nationalized goals and
targets for selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Six priorities of the new Government vision ‘Albania 2030’
Accession to the European Union,
The human rights commitments of Albania and other agreed international and regional development goals and treaty obligations
Strategic Priority A. Human capital development & social inclusion
Outcome A. By 2026, there is increased and more equitable investment in people, removing barriers and creating opportunities for those at risk of exclusion
Strategic Priority B. Sustainable, resilient and green economic growth and resource management
Outcome B: By 2026, innovative and integrated policy solutions accelerate sustainable, productive and inclusive economic development, enhancing climate change adaptation and mitigation and transition to a green and blue economy
Strategic Priority C. Effective, people-centred governance, rule of law, human rights and gender equality
Outcome C1: By 2026, governance is more transparent and accountable, enabling people (women and girls, men and boys, and persons at risk of exclusion) to enjoy quality, inclusive services, enhanced rule of law and access to justice in line with Albania’s human rights commitments
Outcome C2: By 2026, gender responsive governance strengthens equality and non-discrimination, promotes women’s empowerment and human rights, and reduces violence against women and children.
***
Download the Press Release in Albanian
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Speech
15 June 2022
Speech by UNRC Fiona McCluney at the National Conference on the “Common Challenges and new pathways in the fight against corruption: digitalization as an anticorruption tool”
Dear Excellences, Ambassadors, colleagues and friends,
First of all, let me thank Minister Milva Ikonomi for the invite to be a keynote speaker in this Session and for her role as the Minister responsible for organizing this very important Conference.
I am happy to be here with you today on this very important occasion to discuss the results and the necessity for joint work and partnerships in fighting corruption in the Albanian society.
I would firstly like to congratulate the Government of Albania for presenting a complete and encouraging picture of the progress made during 2021 and an honest and realistic situation of the challenges ahead.
UN is happy and proud to have contributed to in fulfillment of key measures related to the fight and prevention of corruption, noting that this contribution has been possible through the partnership with several development partners and close collaboration with central and local government level institutions.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) explicitly link corruption and peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.
SDG 16 and its targets of reducing bribery, strengthening institutions, and accessing information are not only valuable aspirations in their own right, but they are also necessary conditions for the achievement of all the 17 goals.
From a human development perspective, people’s freedoms, choices, and opportunities continue to be undermined by corrupt practices that distort income distribution and public expenditure decisions.
Corruption erodes people’s trust in public institutions, undermines the rule of law, impairs the systems of checks and balances, and contributes to violence and insecurity.
For Albania, the fight against corruption is a matter of urgency to strengthen the rule of law. Still, it is also a key priority in the framework of EU integration of the country. Moreover, maintaining integrity and adopting systematic anti-corruption measures are also vital in the context of public administration reforms.
I am glad that in this Session we have an opportunity to look at the specific role of media and civil society in the fight against corruption.
This is such a complex and multi-layered phenomenon; it is crucial to consider different actors and perspectives.
The promotion of an enabling environment is central to good governance and the rule of law. And as we heard from Nick Thus from SIGMA this morning the importance of upward and downward systems of mutual accountability and transparency.
And with enabling environment I also mean independent, free and pluralistic media, as well as active and engaged civil society.
Media and civil society can contribute to ensure transparency and accountability, promote participation in public and political discourse, and foster democratic processes.
They can play a key role in the fight against corruption, including by monitoring and reporting.
However, we should not forget that seeking transparency and accountability might also entail personal risk.
Last 3rd May, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, I issued a joint statement with the Head of OSCE Presence in Albania, Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco.
We particularly stressed the multiple ways in which journalism is endangered by surveillance and digitally-mediated attacks on journalists, and the consequences on public trust in digital communications.
The digital era has created a fast-evolving environment that while on the one hand has democratized access to information and increased exchanges across borders, on the other it has impacted on the right to privacy and in many circumstances put media workers and their sources at greater risk of being targeted, harassed and attacked.
Therefore, media professionals and journalists need to be protected in order to carry out their essential work freely and safely.
Since digitalization as an anticorruption tool is also a key theme of this Conference, I believe this is an important remark to make.
Now let me turn to a few concrete points regarding what we as UN Albania are doing on anti-corruption.
UNODC, UN office for Drugs and Crime, based in Vienna, in June last year, supported the Western Balkan, including Albania, in the developing and adopting a Regional Anti-Corruption and Illicit Finance Roadmap in June 2021. This strategic document focuses on three key goals/ priority areas for the region:
1) preventing and countering corruption in public procurement, something that was addressed earlier this morning.
2) strengthening understanding of conflict of interest and asset declaration systems and creating a regional network of specialized prosecutors, law enforcement and finally
3) financial intelligence agencies in response to corruption and economic crime.
The roadmap establishes a monitoring and goal setting framework and specific actions and training to further these goals.
The UN Development Programme, UNDP, support in the fight against corruption is particularly visible in the two initiatives, firstly, related to promoting Integrity Plans and secondly, conducting the annual Trust in Governance survey. This work links directly to the role of civil society as well as media, or as we are discussing in this panel, where the power held by ordinary people for accountability through role of civil society and media is considered as an important factor.
Integrity plans include a set of preventive measures against corruption that address identified risks that could favor the corruptive behavior of public servants. integrity plans are intended to establish a culture of public management that puts ethics and integrity as the cornerstones of good governance.
The Institute for Mediation and Democracy from Civil society and the Ministry of Justice, in its capacity of National Coordinator for Anticorruption, were key partners during the piloting of six Integrity Plans and endorsing the risk assessment methodology.
This experience evolved in 2020 with the adoption of the methodology for central public institutions and the development of the integrity planning for the Ministry of Justice, representing the first central institution applying this standard.
UNDP have also supported the further expansion of this practice during 2022 in line Ministries including Education and Sports, Culture, Foreign Affairs, and EU Integration, Infrastructure and Energy, as well as Tourism and Environment and continues to work at the local level to extend the experience of integrity planning in 14 additional municipalities, creating a critical mass for a national standard and compliance.
To date, 14 Municipalities have an approved Integrity Plan from their respective Municipal Councils, and 6 other municipalities are in the finalization phase of their plans.
In addition, UNDP and IDM are working on developing an Integrity Index, which potentially will serve as an instrument for monitoring the level of institutional integrity and anti-corruption performance.
The other UNDP relevant product is the annual Trust in Governance Opinion Poll. The Trust in Governance Opinion Poll carried out since 2013 is an instrument that gives voice to what people think, enabling the monitoring of public trust and perceptions on governance and citizen engagement in Albania on a yearly basis.
Through a well proven methodology it explores public perceptions and attitudes on the trustworthiness of public institutions, institutional transparency, and accountability, corruption, political influence, the level of citizen engagement in policy and decision-making, satisfaction with public service delivery, gender, and social inclusion. Regularly public information that should provide the evidence to see changes in attitudes and perceptions of corruption.
I had a quick look at the surveys, which are online, before completing this speech and interestingly, the media and civil society were perceived to be the main institutions holding the government accountable. The 2021 survey will be published shortly, and I encourage everyone to look to this source of information in highlighting how trends change in perceptions of performance by different institutions. The form of trend analysis, that the Trust in Governance Opinion Poll allow provides a useful source for reporting by media or a reference for civil society in reviewing policy, intervention planning, and implementation and assessing results on the ground.
Thank you for your attention in making these general points. Before turning to my fellow speakers I would once again like to highlight the key role of the media and civil society in progressing on anticorruption agenda noted both in SDG 16 as well detailed work related to Albania’s EU accession path. Indeed, like the guiding question of this session, it is the power held by ordinary people that hold its leaders and institutions accountable, the ‘voice of the ordinary person’ and the media’s investigative role, which are and will continue to be key factors going forward.
Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this meeting and I look forward to further enriching discussions during this Conference.
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Press Release
25 October 2021
Albania and UN renew commitment to joint work on sustainable development for the next five years
The Government of Albania and the United Nations Country Team in Albania announced their renewed commitment to a joint programme of work for the next five years this Monday, as Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj and UN Resident Coordinator Fiona McCluney signed the Albania-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026.
The signing ceremony took place during a dual-themed event marking the 76th anniversary of the UN held at the palace of Brigades in Tirana. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs with the Office of Deputy Prime Minister of Albania and the UN Albania, with participation of key development stakeholders in the country.
In the spirit of the UN Day and the recent launch of Secretary General’s report on Our Common Agenda aiming to strengthen governance for present and future generations, Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Chair of the Albania-UN Joint Executive Committee Arben Ahmetaj announced that the Albanian Government and the UN system in Albania have agreed on a new Cooperation Framework (CF) which will start this January and run through 2026.
The new Cooperation Framework builds upon Albania’s key priorities, the accession to the European Union and delivering on the national pledge to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its nationalized SDG targets, with a focus on the quality of health and education, good governance and rule of law, public service provision, and effective response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It totals an amount of 282 million USD for the full cycle.
In his speech at the signing ceremony, Mr Ahmetaj praised the current cooperation between Albania and UN and pledged continuous support for cooperation with UN: “As we complete a successful cycle of joint work with UN agencies in Albania, we are ready to renew our commitment to sustainable development” – he said.
On behalf of nineteen resident and non-resident UN agencies and programmes in Albania, the UN Resident Coordinator Fiona McCluney reiterated the principal areas of work of the new Cooperation Framework and the urgency of action to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals: “In the spirit of our joint action is our commitment to fight poverty, promote human rights and gender equality, protect the environment and tackle climate change, support economic and social reforms” she noted (read full speech here).
The UN day is celebrated worldwide on 24 October of each year to mark the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document the United Nations officially came into being. This year the celebrations of UN day in Albania take place as Albania takes up mandate in the UN Security Council for the next two years.
In the words of Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs HE Olta Xhaçka, who delivered the keynote speech at the event, the SC mandate “is a prestigious achievement that shows the maturity of Albanian diplomacy and a recognition of the constructive role of Albania in terms of security, stability and development”. HE Xhaçka appreciated the role of the UN system in Albania in taking forward the commitments of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Watch a short video showcasing some of the achievements of the Albania-UN cooperation and the way forward:
***
More details on the Albania-UN Cooperation framework for Sustainable Development 2022-2026
On January 1, 2022, a new Albania-UN Cooperation Framework comes into force.
It offers a tremendous opportunity to scale up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and demonstrate concrete results on the ground for the people of Albania.
This Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (CF) between the Government of Albania and the UN system is anchored by country priorities:
The National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) with nationalized goals and
targets for selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Six priorities of the new Government vision ‘Albania 2030’
Accession to the European Union,
The human rights commitments of Albania and other agreed international and regional development goals and treaty obligations
Strategic Priority A. Human capital development & social inclusion
Outcome A. By 2026, there is increased and more equitable investment in people, removing barriers and creating opportunities for those at risk of exclusion
Strategic Priority B. Sustainable, resilient and green economic growth and resource management
Outcome B: By 2026, innovative and integrated policy solutions accelerate sustainable, productive and inclusive economic development, enhancing climate change adaptation and mitigation and transition to a green and blue economy
Strategic Priority C. Effective, people-centred governance, rule of law, human rights and gender equality
Outcome C1: By 2026, governance is more transparent and accountable, enabling people (women and girls, men and boys, and persons at risk of exclusion) to enjoy quality, inclusive services, enhanced rule of law and access to justice in line with Albania’s human rights commitments
Outcome C2: By 2026, gender responsive governance strengthens equality and non-discrimination, promotes women’s empowerment and human rights, and reduces violence against women and children.
***
Download the Press Release in Albanian
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Story
26 September 2023
Colours of Resilience: Young Refugees in Albania Paint Hopes and Memories
In a collection of bright colours and bold strokes, 10 young refugees living in Albania share their visions of hope and dreams through UNIQLO x UNHCR's 2023 Youth with Refugees Art Contest, “Hope Away from Home”. Young refugees and supporters globally were invited to submit a drawing that illustrates the power of including refugees. The best designs will be turned into t-shirts by our
partner UNIQLO and sold to support displaced people globally. These children, aged 6 to 15 and from diverse backgrounds, have created drawings that reflect their hopes and experiences during sessions led by “Refugee and Migrant Services in Albania (RMSA), a UNHCR partner. The drawings, each unique and heartfelt, are reflections of their lives, experiences, and the comforting embrace of hope they hold onto. Join us as we step into the world of some of them, exploring their drawings and listening to the stories and meanings that the young artists have woven into their creations, unveiling what “hope” means to them in their journey away from home. I sketched my mom and me in a cozy house – it’s a place I imagine where my family and I will live in the future, a place where we gather around food. In the drawing, there’s a table filled with ingredients, depicting my love for baking a cake for my mom. I truly love baking cakes, and what’s even more delightful is baking together with my loved ones. I indeed have a passion for cooking, and since my mom works full time, my sister and I join hands to prepare meals for everyone at home Regarding the colours, my mom is depicted wearing a striped shirt, inspired by one she owns in real life. As for me, I’m portrayed wearing green, my favourite colour, on my top. I drew just a house, a rainbow, some birds, and a tree. And right here it says “home sweet home,” inside a heart-shaped circle. This isn’t actually my real house. It’s my best friend’s house in Tirana, she’s also my neighbour. It’s on the street where we live. And actually, this isn’t the house I wish for us; I just somehow wanted to draw this one. I really like nature. In her yard, we play games and tell each other stories—sometimes things that really happened. We play football; she’s teaching me how, and basketball too. We’ve got a turtle now, named Bingo. I had another turtle before, but I lost it in my friend’s yard. I’m really happy we have Bingo now; he’s been with us for a week. We keep him in my house, so he doesn’t get lost, but sometimes he goes outside. Bingo even had a shower today.’ I drew a one-story house where I picture us living in the future, in Albania. Above the house, there’s a family tree representing my parents, my siblings, and me. I wanted some of the colours to be real, so that’s why the roof is orange, like bricks. You can see all of us, my whole family, holding hands happily right next to the house. Right there next to the house, I drew a big garden. I really don’t see us in a tall building but in a house with a garden, where our neighbours have their gardens too. I just love nature so much. In the garden, there’s a table and a bench where I see my family gathering for meals outside. And maybe the neighbours could join us too when they visit. I also dreamt up a little park in our garden with a swing and a slide, not just for my little brother but for anyone who wants to enjoy it. (The following narrative is recounted by the sister of the young refugee, sharing the emotions, meanings, and aspirations conveyed through the drawing in her sibling's stead.) I divided my drawing into two parts. On the right, I sketched what used to be my home. You’ll see a sun, but it has a sad face on it. Even though it was sunny and bright outside, I was feeling pretty down, so that’s how I saw the sun. There are mostly kids with unhappy faces and some even crying; that’s how I imagine them, missing my friends and feeling kind of sorrowful about it. On the left, there are kids, looking like they’re about to hold hands, in a playground with a bit of green in the middle—those are the friends I’m hoping to find in Albania. And the mountains you see, those mean we’re in Tirana, it’s surrounded by them. I drew three birds and a fish—I'm really into Nemo, the animation. We’re at the beach, and my mom is there, with me diving into the sea. In my drawing, I imagined my whole family being with me, including my aunt and uncle. For now, it’s just me and my mom, but I dream about a day when my dad can join, and maybe bring my aunt and uncle, and we can all go to the beach together. I end up watching Nemo nearly every day, maybe seven, eight times a day. It starts with Nemo and his parents. Then a shark comes and takes his mom, but Nemo manages to save her. Nemo then finds himself lost, pulled from the ocean and stuck in an aquarium with a bunch of other fish. They all try to break out of the aquarium, but it's a no-go. They end up making a huge mess, forcing the owners to clean it, and then, back in the aquarium they go. Then there’s this day when he meets a black fish, and this fish tells Nemo he’s got to get back to the ocean, back to his family, and he helps Nemo reunite with them. (The following narrative is recounted by the UNCHR’s partner staff). A young refugee drew his experience from when he was just 3 years old, still in Syria, where his home was bombarded. He still remembers the tremors; it’s a feeling he can’t forget, which is why he drew him and his family outside their house. In his memory, a house is associated with pain. Back in Syria, it was just him, his parents, and his sister. Now, he has two more siblings, born in Albania, but he chose not to include them in his drawing as they didn’t experience the bombings in Syria. His mom was pregnant at the time, and she gave birth in Albania. The parts of the house he coloured in black are the parts that were destroyed, the colourful parts are what remained. And now, living in Albania, he has found his sun.
partner UNIQLO and sold to support displaced people globally. These children, aged 6 to 15 and from diverse backgrounds, have created drawings that reflect their hopes and experiences during sessions led by “Refugee and Migrant Services in Albania (RMSA), a UNHCR partner. The drawings, each unique and heartfelt, are reflections of their lives, experiences, and the comforting embrace of hope they hold onto. Join us as we step into the world of some of them, exploring their drawings and listening to the stories and meanings that the young artists have woven into their creations, unveiling what “hope” means to them in their journey away from home. I sketched my mom and me in a cozy house – it’s a place I imagine where my family and I will live in the future, a place where we gather around food. In the drawing, there’s a table filled with ingredients, depicting my love for baking a cake for my mom. I truly love baking cakes, and what’s even more delightful is baking together with my loved ones. I indeed have a passion for cooking, and since my mom works full time, my sister and I join hands to prepare meals for everyone at home Regarding the colours, my mom is depicted wearing a striped shirt, inspired by one she owns in real life. As for me, I’m portrayed wearing green, my favourite colour, on my top. I drew just a house, a rainbow, some birds, and a tree. And right here it says “home sweet home,” inside a heart-shaped circle. This isn’t actually my real house. It’s my best friend’s house in Tirana, she’s also my neighbour. It’s on the street where we live. And actually, this isn’t the house I wish for us; I just somehow wanted to draw this one. I really like nature. In her yard, we play games and tell each other stories—sometimes things that really happened. We play football; she’s teaching me how, and basketball too. We’ve got a turtle now, named Bingo. I had another turtle before, but I lost it in my friend’s yard. I’m really happy we have Bingo now; he’s been with us for a week. We keep him in my house, so he doesn’t get lost, but sometimes he goes outside. Bingo even had a shower today.’ I drew a one-story house where I picture us living in the future, in Albania. Above the house, there’s a family tree representing my parents, my siblings, and me. I wanted some of the colours to be real, so that’s why the roof is orange, like bricks. You can see all of us, my whole family, holding hands happily right next to the house. Right there next to the house, I drew a big garden. I really don’t see us in a tall building but in a house with a garden, where our neighbours have their gardens too. I just love nature so much. In the garden, there’s a table and a bench where I see my family gathering for meals outside. And maybe the neighbours could join us too when they visit. I also dreamt up a little park in our garden with a swing and a slide, not just for my little brother but for anyone who wants to enjoy it. (The following narrative is recounted by the sister of the young refugee, sharing the emotions, meanings, and aspirations conveyed through the drawing in her sibling's stead.) I divided my drawing into two parts. On the right, I sketched what used to be my home. You’ll see a sun, but it has a sad face on it. Even though it was sunny and bright outside, I was feeling pretty down, so that’s how I saw the sun. There are mostly kids with unhappy faces and some even crying; that’s how I imagine them, missing my friends and feeling kind of sorrowful about it. On the left, there are kids, looking like they’re about to hold hands, in a playground with a bit of green in the middle—those are the friends I’m hoping to find in Albania. And the mountains you see, those mean we’re in Tirana, it’s surrounded by them. I drew three birds and a fish—I'm really into Nemo, the animation. We’re at the beach, and my mom is there, with me diving into the sea. In my drawing, I imagined my whole family being with me, including my aunt and uncle. For now, it’s just me and my mom, but I dream about a day when my dad can join, and maybe bring my aunt and uncle, and we can all go to the beach together. I end up watching Nemo nearly every day, maybe seven, eight times a day. It starts with Nemo and his parents. Then a shark comes and takes his mom, but Nemo manages to save her. Nemo then finds himself lost, pulled from the ocean and stuck in an aquarium with a bunch of other fish. They all try to break out of the aquarium, but it's a no-go. They end up making a huge mess, forcing the owners to clean it, and then, back in the aquarium they go. Then there’s this day when he meets a black fish, and this fish tells Nemo he’s got to get back to the ocean, back to his family, and he helps Nemo reunite with them. (The following narrative is recounted by the UNCHR’s partner staff). A young refugee drew his experience from when he was just 3 years old, still in Syria, where his home was bombarded. He still remembers the tremors; it’s a feeling he can’t forget, which is why he drew him and his family outside their house. In his memory, a house is associated with pain. Back in Syria, it was just him, his parents, and his sister. Now, he has two more siblings, born in Albania, but he chose not to include them in his drawing as they didn’t experience the bombings in Syria. His mom was pregnant at the time, and she gave birth in Albania. The parts of the house he coloured in black are the parts that were destroyed, the colourful parts are what remained. And now, living in Albania, he has found his sun.
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Story
15 September 2023
UN General Assembly 2023: The moment of decisive commitments for a better future
Albanian Daily News: Ms. McCluney, thank you for being available for this virtual interview. I think it is timely, as every September the eyes of the world are on New York where leaders convene at the UN General Assembly – the so-called UNGA –to address the formal Assembly and participate in side meetings on important issues for the world. Perhaps, you could tell readers what you understand will happen in New York these days?
UN Resident Coordinator in Albania Fiona McCluney: Mr. Mlloja, thank you so much for this opportunity to brief on the upcoming meetings in New York. Of course, much will happen on the sidelines and in informal tete a tetes, including a meeting between United Nations (UN) Secretary General Guterres and the Head of Albania’s Delegation to the UN, which I am not party too but, at the so called ‘High Level Week’, there are two headline messages from the Secretary General that he has shared in advance: The World needs Peace, and, as we are now at the half-way mark to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global assessments show that progress is worryingly off track by the 2030 deadline. The UN asks, how is your country doing and what more can we all do together to put the 17 SDGs back on track.
The opportunity to present positions on these issues, expand on plans and raise ambition especially in relation to Agenda 2030 will happen in the context of a number of important events.
On 18-19 September 2023 the SDG Summit will take place, Heads of State and Governments speaking from the podium of the General Assembly review progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs and make a high-level political statement on priorities and accelerated actions leading up to the target year of 2030 for achieving the Goals. I was pleased to meet the President in July to brief him on UN Secretariat guidance for the event. The negotiated political declaration from the SDG Summit has been under discussion between Member States over the last two months. Deputy UN SG Amina Mohammed leads this work and I know she hopes the final text will reflect a shared interest and ambition for renewed progress on SDGs towards 2030. On a more technical note, the SDG Summit is expected to identify the specific areas – High Impact Initiatives - with potential for accelerating the SDGs. On ending Violence against Women, and transformation of Food Systems and Education, as well on reducing Carbon Emissions, Albania has made commitments in other fora they can reconfirm. We hope Jobs and Social Protection will be another area to move forward.
- What other events will take place during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly regular session which opened on Tuesday, 5 September?
- On the 19 – 20 September the UN General Debate will take place, with important speeches by world leaders. This year’s debate focus tells us a lot about the state of affairs in the world. Leaders are asked to reflect on “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”. The General Assembly debate continues for several days in order for all 100 or so leaders present to get their moment at the podium.
In parallel, on 20 September there is a High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development. It will provide political leadership and guidance on the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda – a UN framework for mobilizing resources to achieve the SDGs – as well as identify progress and emerging challenges and mobilize further action.
And convening around our biggest challenge for humanity, Climate Change, the Climate Ambition Summit will also take place on the 20 September. This key event will be convened by our SG Guterres who is expected to provide an updated status on the impact of climate change – no doubt drawing together trends familiar to us from the news every day. He will address leaders from Governments, business, cities and regions, civil society, and financial institutions. Expect an alarming narrative as this summer has been the hottest on record. He will call for credible, serious and new climate action and nature-friendly solutions that will move the needle forward in reducing carbon emissions and adapting to the urgency of the climate crisis.
The Covid pandemic taught the world many lessons, and again on 20 September, the High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response will build on these. The President of the General Assembly, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, will convene Heads of State and Government for a one-day meeting to adopt a political declaration aimed at mobilizing political will at the national, regional and international levels for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Two other important meetings related to public health will take place on 21 and 22 September, respectively: The High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage and the High-level Meeting on the Fight against Tuberculosis. UN Agencies with Headquarters in New York such as UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and UN-Women may also have bi-lateral meetings with members of the Albanian delegation. As you see there is a full agenda of important events happening in New York this time and yes, the eyes of the world will be on statements made there. Representatives of all global media will be present and reporting back to their countries.
- Really a lot going on in a short period, Ms. McCluney, I also understand Albania, as a member of the Security Council 2021 - 2023, has the Presidency of Security Council this September. What is your take on the role Albania has played during their mandate and what are the priorities this month at the helm of the Security Council?
- Albania has played a remarkable role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during its mandate. The war in Ukraine placed the work of the Security Council on a critical footing with many difficult diplomatic and substantive issues to navigate. As chair it is an opportunity to focus debate on issues of interest. The two specific initiatives Albania has presented as key events during September are a high-level open debate on Ukraine to be chaired by PM Rama on “Upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter through effective multilateralism: Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine", and the inclusion of the private sector in “Advancing Public-Private Humanitarian Partnership”.
Peace and Security are one aspect of the UN’s global work, but for the interest of your readers, might I mention the scope of agency representation here in Albania. 19 UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes - UN System in Albania – signed the agreement we have with the Government of Albania, the 2022-2026 Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework – UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNOPS, WHO, ILO, UNHCR, IOM, UN WOMEN, FAO, UNIDO and UNEP have staff in Albania, with many of us in the offices at the Rruga Skënderbej, Tirana, covered with banners representing each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Also, our website albania.un.org can be a useful resource to get all the latest news of our progress in Albania and we have currently updated all detailed achievements through the Progress Report 2022.
I hope to brief you again soon. There is much in the pipeline. October 24th is the UN Day, with many activities building up to events next year, in September 2024, where the theme of the UN General Assembly will be the Summit of the Future, looking more critically at global governance gaps, the SDGs and the United Nations Charter, and how to make a multilateral system better positioned to positively impact people’s lives.
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Story
11 July 2023
Delivering for Development Newsletter | Issue 31 | April-June 2023
Dear partners, colleagues and friends,
Welcome to the 31st edition of our Delivering for Development newsletter, where we showcase the impactful work of UN agencies in Albania during the second quarter of 2023.
In this issue we cover a wide range news from the key areas of our work, including human capital development, economic growth innovation, climate change, governance, rule of law, human rights, and gender-responsive governance. It's an issue that offers comprehensive insights into our multifaceted efforts.
Do not miss the exciting updates on the significant milestones achieved by two of our joint programmes, both of which focus on harnessing the potential of the private sector as a key driver in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. In the domain of youth engagement, we are thrilled to introduce the newest cohort of the UN Albania Youth Advisory Group, underscoring the crucial role of young people in our initiatives.
Our articles cover compelling subjects such as sustainable agriculture, the preservation of cultural heritage, and a plethora of other inspiring topics.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and partnership as we continue to work towards a brighter future in Albania.
We wish you a pleasant read,
Fiona McCluney
Resident Coordinator
United Nations Albania You can access the #Delivering4Development Newsletter here.
Resident Coordinator
United Nations Albania You can access the #Delivering4Development Newsletter here.
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11 July 2023
The Annual Progress Report 2022
This year’s Annual Progress Report is the first report of the new UNSDCF 2022-2026. It focuses on presenting the priorities and the four outcomes that collectively encapsules the work of nineteen (19) agencies, funds and programmes working in the country, which comprise the UNCT in Albania, chaired by the UN Resident Coordinator, the designated representative of the UN Secretary General for development operations in the country.
The UN in Albania implemented more than 200 interventions during 2022, each linked to SDG goals and targets. Collectively the UN delivered USD 58 million through its Cooperation Framework, of which 90 percent was mobilized by efforts of the country offices.
Assessment of progress, using Cooperation Framework indicators, made towards achievement of targets shows that approximately 49% of the 160 targets are on track.
We invite you to browse through the report, to get a more in-depth overview of the United Nations in Albania work during 2022.
You can access the Annual Progress Report website by clicking here.
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19 June 2023
UNIDO-Boosting Albanian industrial transformation through quality and standards
Albania’s economy is steadily growing with high potential for exports. Rich biodiversity in Albania represents an important potential for economic development resulting in Albania becoming one of Europe’s top producers of medicinal and aromatic plants in recent years. But why are Albanian products hardly to be found in Europe? What hinders Albanian producers from exploiting the full trade potential of their products?
To participate successfully in the global trading system and reap the benefits that globalization promises, the country must cope with the numerous challenges and constraints posed by a continuously changing marketplace. Most noteworthy among these challenges are the intense competition due to the globalization of economies and the liberalization of markets; the impact that the governance of international retailers and buyers has on access to markets; increased consumer awareness and the resulting growing demand for high-quality, organic, minimally processed products and the emphasis on traceability and social responsibility; and the increasing risk of marginalization faced by areas with poor infrastructure and small producers. Even though many opportunities have been induced by trade liberalization and efforts have been made to strengthen their integration into the world trade system, Albania – among many developing countries - has not been able to substantially increase their access to global markets. In their efforts to improve compliance, the challenge for national governments and development partners is the allocation of scarce financial and technical resources amongst a plethora of capacity building needs. There is, therefore, a need to identify where the most acute compliance challenges are rooted. In a trade context this means identifying the products and markets with the highest rates of non-compliance and addressing the underlying causes.
This is where the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), through the Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP), aims to make a difference. In light of the continued and growing relevance of standards compliance, and the solid and positive track-record of joint cooperation projects, UNIDO and Switzerland, through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), have developed a flagship approach, GQSP, which is now a global initiative assisting 12 countries worldwide to boost their competitiveness in 16 diverse sectors. The GQSP identifies quality- related challenges and makes targeted interventions at every single stage of the value chain, increasing compliance with international market requirements, thereby helping industry to boost their competitiveness and ultimately engage in global trade. The programme is based on UNIDO´s innovative and holistic approach to quality infrastructure cum value chain development. In support of these national efforts, the programme elaborates global solutions for common challenges through the development of global public goods, like the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index and the Standards Compliance Analytics. Since its launch, the GQSP has strengthened over 130 quality institutions and service providers around the world. It has directly supported more than 3,000 firms, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, in improving their operations, management practices and access to new markets.
Given the rich biodiversity in Albania, its existing position as a recognized exporter of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) and considering that the majority of the importers are developed countries with stringent requirements in terms of standards and quality, Albania needs to address several supply-side gaps to realize its full potential. Overall, the agricultural sector (including MAPs as well as fruits and vegetables) is the most important sector in the Albanian economy. It contributes to 22.5% of the country's GDP and is the main source of income for the rural population. The improvement of the sector is a challenge for the Albanian Government. Although several reforms have been proposed to increase transparency, accountability, effectiveness and efficiency in the agricultural sector, their success in implementation has been limited. The agro-food sector in general is characterized by a very large number of producers and a short value chain. Yet, constraints are faced related to limited traceability, lack of quality standards and safety measures, inadequate infrastructure and lack of recognized testing capacities in the country. Another factor that is dominant in Albania is the farming culture and mentality of the producers, combined with poor education levels and little or no culture for quality among the rural population, which ultimately impedes entrepreneurs from being adaptive to the new challenges of economy, market demand, increasing quality and safety requirements as well as diversification of their products. This means, not only do local producers have very little awareness and knowledge about quality requirements, there is also a lack of adequate and internationally recognized testing and quality infrastructure services to prove compliance with market requirement, even if those are met. One of the key challenges identified to be a major obstacle to trade and exports, is the use of banned pesticides. This is clearly highlighted in an analysis of standards compliance capacity resulting from border rejections of food and feed products exported from Albania to the EU, conducted by UNIDO based on its Standards Compliance Analytics. Resulting from this analysis, Albania must put special emphasis on strengthen its capacity to export agricultural products that do not present - and can prove not to present - evidence of pesticides or any other contamination, including those resulting from lack of hygiene conditions and bacteria.
Against this background, within the framework of the GQSP, the objective of the project in Albania is to strengthen the quality and standards compliance capacity to facilitate market access primarily in the MAPs sector, which will also benefit the food and vegetable (F&V) sector. For the past few years, Albania has been one of Europe's top producers of MAPs, with its production focused on wild plants such as sage, lavender and cornflowers. These plants are often harvested in the foothills, though they are being increasingly cultivated on a more commercial basis. The overarching goal of the intervention is to align Albania’s quality infrastructure to the needs of the national production and thereby boost export of MAPs, and fruits and vegetables, in view of accessing foreign markets, particularly the EU market.
Following a comprehensive approach to strengthening Albania’s trade capacities, UNIDO will support producers to make best use of standards, meet market requirements and thereby improve their production processes. Complementary, the GQSP will strengthen national quality infrastructure institutions, in view of providing state-of-the-art services and align to the requirements of the EU, and enhance conformity assessment, including testing and certification, to provide internationally recognized services that are accepted globally. Further, the programme will as well provide policy advice to support the alignment of the national quality infrastructure with the systems of the EU. Special emphasis will be put on the promotion of a quality culture and the promotion of collective efficiencies.
All these endeavours are expected to lead to enhanced capacity to trade and boost exports of medicinal and aromatic plants, empowering small producers and improving the lives of the rural population, in line with the Government’s priorities. By creating a conducive environment, creating a culture for quality and providing support to the private sector to increase their productive capacities, the approach strengthens the supply side and stimulates demand for quality services in the long run – promising sustainability.
UNIDO assists countries to accelerate their transformation towards inclusive and sustainable industrialization, bridging gaps and seizing industrial development opportunities to achieve the 2030 Agenda. More than ever, inclusive and sustainable pathways to industrial development require systemic approaches as well as innovative, collaborative, transformational and flexible solutions.
UNIDO value addition is based on its needs driven, tailored solutions. In cooperation with the United Nations development system at the global, regional and country levels, it prioritizes evidence-based programming, prominently in the context of the Programme for Country Partnerships. Thought leadership and convening of global partners remain vital approaches to boost cooperation for ISID, with a special focus on expanding collaboration with the private sector as a key player to catalyse transformative solutions. Tapping into its pool of specialists, the Organization offers its partners a wide range of co-created and co-owned solutions. UNIDO´s comprehensive approach promotes industrial development in which women, youth, marginalized and vulnerable groups in society equally lead, participate in, and benefit from economic transformation.
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Press Release
15 September 2023
Message of the UN Secretary General on the International Day of Democracy
They underwrite freedom, advance sustainable development, and protect the dignity and rights of every person.
On the International Day of Democracy, we celebrate its promise to societies – and recognize the many threats it faces at this time of tension and turmoil. The walls are closing in on civic spaces. Mis- and disinformation is poisoning public discourse, polarizing communities, and eroding trust in institutions. This year’s theme – “Empowering the Next Generation” – focuses on the essential role of children and young people in safeguarding democracy today and in the future. It is not enough to listen to children and young people. We must support them with massive investments in education, skills-building, and lifelong learning. We must protect human rights and advance gender equality. And we must expand the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making processes at every level. On this important day, let us join hands across generations and work as one to build a more just world for all.
On the International Day of Democracy, we celebrate its promise to societies – and recognize the many threats it faces at this time of tension and turmoil. The walls are closing in on civic spaces. Mis- and disinformation is poisoning public discourse, polarizing communities, and eroding trust in institutions. This year’s theme – “Empowering the Next Generation” – focuses on the essential role of children and young people in safeguarding democracy today and in the future. It is not enough to listen to children and young people. We must support them with massive investments in education, skills-building, and lifelong learning. We must protect human rights and advance gender equality. And we must expand the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making processes at every level. On this important day, let us join hands across generations and work as one to build a more just world for all.
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Press Release
25 September 2023
ILO supports Albania in strengthening the Amicable Labour Dispute Resolution System
This project served to provide technical assistance to respond to current needs for a more inclusive, effective, fair and quick resolution of labour disputes in the country.
Some of the results of the ILO-SIDA collaboration in the framework of the project “Access to Justice through Mediation and Conciliation of Labour Disputes”, a incude:
- 177 (64% women) public mediators, conciliators, government officials and social partners on mediation/conciliation skills for labour disputes through tailor made training programmes developed and carried out in cooperation with the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin (the Turin Centre) and on public mediation/conciliation procedures.
- 1039 (65% women) labour administration officials, public labour dispute mediators and conciliators, employers and trade unions organizations, workers, and managers, on dispute prevention, grievance handling and ALDR, through collective bargaining and workplace cooperation, including discrimination, violence and harassment, as well as other aspects of labour relations.
-148 (57% women) serving and prospective judges on international labour standards (ILS) and judicial use of ILS and work of ILO supervisory bodies in the domestic caselaw, through tailor made training programme carried out in cooperation with the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin (the Turin Centre) and the Albanian School of Magistrates.
- 551 (81% women) general high school and VET teachers on pre-university education for prevention and resolution of labour disputes
- 20 bipartite monitoring groups (69% women) were established in 20 pilot companies selected by the social partners in both public and private sector, to develop and/or improve internal rules and procedures for workplace dispute prevention, grievance handling, including discrimination, violence and harassment and labour dispute resolution.
Participants in this closing event included Ms. Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of Finance and Economy, Ms. Petra Burcher, Head of SIDA in Albania, Mr. Lejo Sibbel, ILO Sr Specialist on Labour Legislation and Social Dialogue, Ms. Zhulieta Harasani, ILO coordinator for Albania, the National Agency for Employment and Skills, the State Labour and Social Services Inspectorate, the School of Magistrates, trade unions and employers’ organizations, businesses, labour mediators and conciliators, judges, students, and teachers.
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Press Release
25 September 2023
UNIDO Partnering with Slovenia to Strengthen the Wood Manufacturing Industry in Albania
In Albania, the wood and furniture industry is one of the fastest growing industries. Government data reports a 19% increase in exports of furniture from 2015 to 2020 for a total of $62 million in 2020. The number of furniture and wood processing companies in Albania has, for the first time in 2020, surpassed 1,000, employing more than 10,000 people. This number is estimated to be up to three times likely higher due to the informality of the sector.
However, to maintain and expand growth key priorities must be addressed to strengthen the skilled labour force, update industry- specific legislation, reduce barriers to export, expand national technical and vocational sector specific training capacities, and digitalize processing activities.
With the support of the Government of Slovenia, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is partnering with the Wood Industry Cluster Slovenia (Zavod Lesarski Grozd) to pilot an initiative to improve the economic competitiveness of Albania’s wood manufacturing sector through enhanced technical skills to practitioners and improved public-private dialogue. The project, Fostering sustainable development in the Albanian wood sector through improved manufacturing capacities and skills training, started in early 2023. The project contributes to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy National Forest Strategy and National Plan for European Union integration.
UNIDO, the specialized agency of the United Nations with a unique mandate to promote and accelerate sustainable industrial development, aims to raise the level of value addition and to upgrade the wood value chain in developing countries in close engagement with the private sector.
UNIDO’s wood programme began in 1967 when efforts were made to show developing countries how to manufacture or process wooden products for export instead of simply exporting raw timber. Very soon, UNIDO had built up an extensive bibliography of manuals, experts’ reports and research papers on different aspects of wood processing. It also published lectures given at seminars on the wood industry.
UNIDO’s support for the wood industry focuses on technology transfer and capacity building in strong cooperation with local wood industry associations/institutions and respective governmental departments with the main focus on the secondary wood processing industry. Any proposed solutions should contribute to employment creation through expanding labour-intensive secondary processing industries, raise performance and productivity of the secondary processing sector, ensure raw materials are derived from environmentally sound resources (certified forests, production forests under sustainable management) and support programmes to
minimize and utilize production waste. Examples of UNIDO recent projects in the wood industry in South Africa focus on providing sustainable forestry skills and supporting wood processing enterprises with technology, equipment, and training to enhance their business practices. Projects in Lebanon focused on how to shift enterprises which have a more artisan and craft background to adopt industrial processes and international standards through new technologies (i.e. computer numerical control (CNC) machines), while at the same time promoting innovation. The current pilot initiative in Albania will contribute to a further understanding of the strengths and gaps in wood value chain, and develop cooperation and knowledge sharing between Slovenia and Albania wood industry clusters while building technical vocational training capacity for the wood industry in Albania. UNIDO’s wood programme began in 1967 when efforts were made to show developing countries how to manufacture or process wooden products for export instead of simply exporting raw timber *This article was originally published here.
minimize and utilize production waste. Examples of UNIDO recent projects in the wood industry in South Africa focus on providing sustainable forestry skills and supporting wood processing enterprises with technology, equipment, and training to enhance their business practices. Projects in Lebanon focused on how to shift enterprises which have a more artisan and craft background to adopt industrial processes and international standards through new technologies (i.e. computer numerical control (CNC) machines), while at the same time promoting innovation. The current pilot initiative in Albania will contribute to a further understanding of the strengths and gaps in wood value chain, and develop cooperation and knowledge sharing between Slovenia and Albania wood industry clusters while building technical vocational training capacity for the wood industry in Albania. UNIDO’s wood programme began in 1967 when efforts were made to show developing countries how to manufacture or process wooden products for export instead of simply exporting raw timber *This article was originally published here.
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Press Release
27 June 2023
From Funding to Financing SDGs: UN’s ‘Support to SDG Financing’ Programme’ Makes Strides Towards Sustainable Development in Albania
UN Albania convened today a high-level dialogue of on the issue of Financing Sustainable Development in Albania. This event marked the culmination of a series of dialogues and interventions conducted under a broader multi-partner initiative, aimed at comprehensively addressing the diverse aspects of financing for sustainable development in the country. Today’s event gathered key programme partners from the Government line ministries parliament, UN Agencies, representatives of local and international finance institutions and other speakers and experts in the field.
Building Institutional Capacities and Viable Solutions: This UN Joint Programme has worked closely with national partners to strengthen institutional capacities and identify viable solutions for increasing SDG-related spending in Albania. Through a range of initiatives, the programme has generated valuable insights and lessons that can accelerate progress towards sustainable development targets.
Reflecting on Progress and Emerging Trends: The 'Financing Sustainable Development in Albania' event provided an excellent opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved thus far and engage in discussions on emerging trends in financing sustainable development. Speakers and experts shared their invaluable insights, fostering a dynamic dialogue among participants.
Milestones and Emerging Opportunities: The event featured panel discussions that covered key topics related to financing sustainable development. The first panel highlighted the milestones achieved by Albania in increasing financing for sustainable development, exploring the role of public budgets and other sources of financing in advancing SDGs. The second panel focused on emerging opportunities to finance sustainable development and discussed forward-looking strategies to involve national and international partners.
Importance of Cooperation and Achievements:
In her remarks at the event, the UN Resident Coordinator Fiona McCluney underlined how important is cooperation across financial players if we are to keep our SDG pledges and praised the achievements of the programme in this regard:
‘In Albania, just like in other countries with a similar income level, financing for SDGs has been mainly driven by public spending. However, sustainable development requires an engagement of other actors in the financing landscape, domestic and international. Through this programme UN assisted Albania in providing an analytical basis (INFF) to develop feasible solutions and identifying fiscal space to increase SDG-related spending.
Moving forward, there are some exciting opportunities associated with improved public expenditure oversight, by Parliament, and through enabling framework for private sector and Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG). Looking forward seeing the work move forward – she said. This dialogue offered an opportunity to reflect on the progress made thus far and share the valuable lessons that could be leveraged as the country moved forward in its efforts to achieve sustainable development targets. Chair of the Parliament Subcommittee on SDGs, Anila Denaj acknowledged the progress made by the 'Support to SDG Financing' Joint Programme. ‘By generating valuable knowledge, conducting capacity building activities, actively engaging in policy development, collaborating with Parliament, and establishing an Integrated National Financing Framework, the programme significantly contributed to advancing the country's sustainable development goals.’ – she said The programme was implemented jointly by UNDP, UNICEF, and ILO, in close collaboration with UN Women and UNFPA. It was funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund with global contributions from Denmark, European Union, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. For more information visit the programme page here.
Moving forward, there are some exciting opportunities associated with improved public expenditure oversight, by Parliament, and through enabling framework for private sector and Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG). Looking forward seeing the work move forward – she said. This dialogue offered an opportunity to reflect on the progress made thus far and share the valuable lessons that could be leveraged as the country moved forward in its efforts to achieve sustainable development targets. Chair of the Parliament Subcommittee on SDGs, Anila Denaj acknowledged the progress made by the 'Support to SDG Financing' Joint Programme. ‘By generating valuable knowledge, conducting capacity building activities, actively engaging in policy development, collaborating with Parliament, and establishing an Integrated National Financing Framework, the programme significantly contributed to advancing the country's sustainable development goals.’ – she said The programme was implemented jointly by UNDP, UNICEF, and ILO, in close collaboration with UN Women and UNFPA. It was funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund with global contributions from Denmark, European Union, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. For more information visit the programme page here.
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Press Release
23 June 2023
UN Resident Coordinator McCluney welcomes the new cohort of UN Albania Youth Advisory Group
UNYAG's role is to advise the UN Albania Country Team (UNCT) on matters related to youth engagement and more. The previous cohort of UNYAG supported the UNCT in the development stage of the current Albania-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2022-2026 and undertook various youth engagement initiatives in cooperation with different UN agencies in Albania. This is the second cohort of UNYAG since its establishment in 2020. Members of UNYAG have an initial mandate of one year, which can be extended for another year.
"For us at the UN, it is of paramount importance to have active, passionate, game-changing youth like all of you engaging as volunteers in the role of young advisors. Together we want to walk a path of innovation and strong youth engagement to deliver on the SDGs", said Ms. Fiona McCluney as she welcomed the newly selected UNYAG members them to her office.
The new UNYAG members and RC McCluney engaged in a conversation focused on the UN values, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN Youth Strategy 2030, discussing the role of Albanian youth in translating the global vision into local action by working to engage more youth, especially those in the most disadvantaged areas of the country.
Engagement with young people is relevant to all work areas of the UN in Albania under the current GoA-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2022-26.
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