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:

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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.

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Download the Press Release in Albanian