Albania | World Bank

Albania - Education Excellence and Equity Project : resettlement policy framework

2009-11-17T05:00:00.000Z

The objective of the Education Excellence and Equity Project (EEE-P) for Albania is to improved quality of learning conditions for all students and increased enrollment in general secondary education, especially for the poor It is possible that expropriation will require land acquisition and result in the loss of land and assets and perhaps the loss of shelter and/or land-based sources of income. This resettlement policy framework (RPF) considers the possibility of the adverse impact of relocation or loss of shelter as well as loss of assets. Those eligible to receive benefits include landowners, tenants and other occupants who have: (a) formal title to land, (b) those whose property rights are recognized in law; and also (c) those who do not have formal or recognizable legal rights to land they are occupying. Under Albanian law, compensation for lost assets (land or other assets) cannot be paid to people who occupy land illegally or who occupy buildings built without proper license. However, under Bank policy and under this RPF, such people would be entitled to compensation for lost assets besides land. Ministry of Education and Science (MOES), together with Municipal or Komuna authorities and other agencies, as appropriate, will also provide assistance to illegal occupants to assist them to maintain or improve their standard of living. Cash compensation may be offered at levels that will be sufficient to replace the lost land and other assets and include moving allowances etc. For the most part, project affected people, if displaced, will move to other parts of the land they already hold or will buy alternative land in the vicinity. In the case of illegal occupants, assistance will be provided if the occupants can show that they were present in their location prior to the cut-off date established by the authorities, usually the date of completion of the census.

Roma education to get crucial boost in funding

2009-11-12T20:18:19.000Z

Roma education to get crucial boost in funding

BRUSSELS, November 12, 2009―At an international donor conference hosted by the Open Society Institute, the World Bank and the European Economic and Social Coimmittee, donors swung their financial support behind education for the Roma, Europe ’s largest minority population. The €25.5 million in funding commitments announced by donors today is targeted for the Roma Education Fund (REF) and will provide the essential ingredients needed for children to succeed in school: scholarships, school meals, teacher training and academic support. The added financial support will also help governments develop stronger national policies for Roma inclusion.

“Roma want to contribute to society. They want to improve the lives of their children and give them a better life than they had. The most important factor that keeps so many Roma trapped in poverty is a lack of education; with increased political will and improved cooperation we can tackle this problem head-on,” said George Soros, chairman of the Open Society Institute and one of the founders of the Roma Education Fund.

The REF is a grant-making and policy analysis foundation established in 2005 that designs and supports programmes and projects to improve Roma education outcomes in Europe . With help from the Fund, last year alone over 30,000 students, from pre-school to university, showed improved test scores while more than 800 Roma students attended and graduated from university.
Roma continue to face discrimination and exclusion from opportunities available to most citizens. They often lack access to good quality education or other social services, holding low quality and low-paying jobs.

“The primary school completion rate among young Roma is similar to that prevailing in some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. This strikes me as something that does not belong in the Europe of the 21 st century”, said the World Bank Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The amount committed today will enable the REF to continue closing the gap in educational outcomes between Roma and non-Roma children by supporting quality education for Roma, desegregation of education systems, and improvement of Roma’s social inclusion. “The REF has identified what works in Roma education. The time has come to move to large scale interventions,” said Costel Bercus, chair of the REF governing board.

www.romaeducationfund.hu
www.refdonorconference.org

Contacts:
Luis Montero
luis.montero@osf-eu.org
Alexander Rowland
arowland@worldbank.org

World Bank supports pandemic preparedness in Albania through new virology laboratory

2009-11-09T10:15:00.000Z

Tirana, November 9, 2009 – A new virology laboratory, financed by the World Bank was inaugurated today in the premises of the Institute of Public Health. The inauguration ribbon was cut by the Minister of Health Mr. Petrit Vasili in the presence of the Institute of Public Health staff, World Bank project staff, media etc.

The new virology laboratory has been financed in part by the Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project and will help with the molecular diagnosis for the identification of the pandemic swine flu A/H1N1 and Avian Influenza A/H5N1 viruses. The new technology (Real Time PCR) will shorten the time for diagnosis to less than one day, helping the health system to better mitigate the pandemic. The investment includes civil works, equipment, and training totaling US$ 750,000. The laboratory is now part of European influenza surveillance network for tracking flu diseases and supported by WHO in Europe.

“The new virology lab, said Ibrahim Hackaj, Task Team Leader of the Project, will increase the diagnostic capacity in Albnaia for influenza and influenza-like diseases. This investment is a product of the good cooperation between the Ministry of Health, the Institute of Public Health and the Task Force Secretariat of the Avian Influenza Project in the Ministry of Agriculture”.

The World Bank is further assisting Albania in pandemic preparedness by financing through the Avian Influenza project purchases of Tamiflu, traditional flu vaccines, and efforts to strengthen other preventive and treatment capacities. In addition, the World Bank is considering a further request from the Government of Albania to allocate additional funds under the Health System Modernization project to support the pandemic preparedness.

For more information about the World Bank work in Albania:
http://www.worldbank.org.al

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Municipality of Tirana and World Bank sign grant agreement for the Youth Empowerment through Community Development Project in Albania

2009-11-06T15:59:02.000Z

Tirana, November 6, 2009 - Today the World Bank and the Municipality of Tirana have signed an agreement for the implementation of a Japanese Social Fund Grant of US$1.2 million for the Youth Empowerment through Community Development in Albania. This Grant will support a pilot program in Tirana and Durres aimed to increase the involvement of urban youth in community development and civic participation, as well as to expand their opportunities for training, entrepreneurship and employment. The World Bank will administer the grant on behalf of the Government of Japan.

The agreement was signed by the Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Edi Rama and Mrs. Camille Nuamah, World Bank Country Manager. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Honorary Consul General of Japan in Albania, Mr. Avni Ponari, as well as Municipality and World Bank project team members.

Mrs. Camille Nuamah, World Bank Country Manager said that, “The youth of Albania have a critical role to play as the country moves toward accession and integration with the European and global economies. We are confident that this grant can help to find new mechanisms to spur their interest in civic engagement, public policy and entrepreneurship.”

The Project aims at achieving its main objective through piloting several programs aimed to: (i) increase youth participation in civic affairs through community development grants; (ii) help urban youth acquire a variety of skills that can support the transition from secondary schooling to the labor force; and (iii) increase the access of youth to livelihood and employment opportunities through grants that support youth entrepreneurial activities.

“This grant will serve not only to the youngsters that will directly benefit from it, but as well as all local governments by testing models to improve youth engagement in the future,” said the Honorary Consul General of Japan in Albania, Mr. Avni Ponari.

The project supports youth empowerment and community development activities in the municipalities of Tirana and Durres.

For more information about the World Bank work in Albania:
http://www.worldbank.org.al

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Transition since Fall of Berlin Wall Shapes Today’s Crisis and Recovery

2009-11-03T17:05:11.000Z

Report on eve of 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall says structural reforms are now necessary to protect hard-won gains

WASHINGTON, November 3, 2009―The economic policy choices made by some countries of Europe and Central Asia (ECA)* during the transition from centrally planned to market economies contained the seeds of vulnerability when facing the global economic crisis, and are also likely to shape the recovery, says a new World Bank report issued on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The report, Turmoil at Twenty: Recession, Recovery, and Reform in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, says many countries in ECA are well integrated today into global markets. While this integration brought many benefits and drove the region’s spectacular growth in the decade since the Russia financial crisis of 1998, it also exposed ECA countries to three channels through which the crisis has hit the region hard: financial, market, and labor.

Excessively rapid catch-up towards Western European living standards by countries that had suffered deep or double transition recessions in the late 1990s, enabled by bank lending at a time of unusually high global liquidity, led to rapid growth, but also created serious macroeconomic imbalances when facing the 2008-09 global crisis. Short-term maturing debt reached extremely high values. But not all financially integrated countries in the region were equally vulnerable. Their experience suggests that tighter fiscal policies, without necessarily insulating countries from the crisis, could have played a stabilizing role, even though the imbalances did not generally originate in the public sector.

The report says that international collective action comprising generous official financing and coordination by Western European parent banks to maintain their exposures in Central and Eastern Europe has allowed maturing external debt to be rolled over, at least so far. Those parent banks were crucial in hardening budget constraints and attaining macroeconomic stability during the first decade of transition.

“The outlook for economic growth in emerging Europe and Central Asia is considerably weaker than that in the years before the crisis,” said Pradeep Mitra, one of the authors of the report and former World Bank Chief Economist of the Europe and Central Asia Region. “If parent banks reduce exposures in countries of the region due to recognition of losses in their home market, continuing collective action will be necessary to make this process gradual and less disruptive.”

According to the report, the weak outlook for growth highlights the urgency of proceeding with bank, corporate, and household debt restructuring. Government should set up enabling frameworks for debt restructuring, but resist using public resources since household debt is typically not concentrated among the poorer households.

The poorer countries of the former Soviet Union that are financially less integrated are experiencing the crisis primarily as a result of a downturn in exports and decline in workers’ remittances due to the recession in the Russian Federation. Thus, in Tajikistan, the poorest country of the region, it is estimated that a 30 percent decline in remittances would reduce the consumption of the bottom fifth of households by around 20 percent. While some countries have safety net programs that deliver a substantial proportion of benefits to poorer households, more resources are necessary to scale up these programs where they exist, and introduce targeted programs where they do not. Official financing for a number of years will be necessary to support desirable social spending until a durable recovery is in place.

The report recommends that with capital flows likely to be considerably lower than pre-crisis levels, and financial markets already differentiating across countries, policy makers need to address the most binding constraints to growth in order to improve their business environment and remain competitive.

“It is remarkable that business surveys show infrastructure and labor skills – formerly the main assets of transition countries – not only to be the tightest bottlenecks to the operation and growth of firms, but also more constraining than in non-transition economies at similar income levels. These sectors require urgent reforms,” said Mitra. “However, the surveys also show significant progress after two decades of transition in building institutions of the market economy. For example, tax administration and customs regulation which have traditionally ranked high among constraints to the operation and growth of firms are now seen as less constraining and indeed in line with non-transition economies at similar income levels.”

* The ECA countries include Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, FYR Macedonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, the Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

Contacts:
In Washington:
Elena Karaban 202-473-9277
Ekaraban@worldbank.org
Michael Jones 202-473-2588
Mjones2@worldbank.org

World Bank Board of Executive Directors Discusses Inspection Panel Report on Power Sector Generation and Restructuring Project in Albania

2009-10-22T13:00:00.000Z

WASHINGTON, October 22, 2009—The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today discussed a Management Report and Action Plan that responds to an Inspection Panel investigation of the Power Sector Generation and Restructuring Project in Albania.

The Power Sector Generation and Restructuring Project aims to expand and diversify Albania’s domestic power supply to meet the country’s rising demand for energy by building a new 97 MW diesel oil-fueled power plant. In recent years, Albania has suffered from electricity shortages, which have slowed economic development and led to frequent blackouts that affect people throughout the country. In 2002, the Government of Albania asked the World Bank to assist in arranging donor financing for a new thermal electric power plant about six kilometers north of the city of Vlora.

In May 2007 the Inspection Panel registered a Request for Inspection by the Civic Alliance for the Protection of the Bay of Vlora on behalf of local residents living in Vlora. The Request raised a number of environmental, social, cultural and economic concerns related to the Project as designed. It cited concerns that the project would “…destroy environment, tourism, safe fisheries, natural habitat, ecosystem, coral colonies as well as the unique historical and cultural significance of the entire Vlora Bay and Narta Lagoon.”

In its report, the Panel noted the importance of the Project in addressing Albania’s electricity needs. The Panel determined, however, that the Bank did not comply with several provisions of Bank policies on Project Appraisal, Environmental Assessment, Management of Cultural Property, and Economic Assessment. The Panel also found significant shortcomings in compliance with the Bank’s consultation policy requirements. The Panel, however, also recognizes that the plant has now been constructed and the focus on the facility should be directed to its future operation.

Werner Kiene, the Chairperson of the Inspection Panel, noted: “Looking forward, the Panel is pleased that Management agrees with the need to put in place a detailed oil spill response procedure before the power plant is fully operational. There is a need to ensure that the necessary equipment is procure d without delay, and to assist the Albanian authorities to develop appropriate administrative structures to allow rapid response to oil spills that would threaten Vlora Bay and its tourism industry. The Panel notes that the Bank has worked closely with the Government on development of a Territorial Planning Law and is pleased that Management recognizes the need for overall planning for Vlora Bay.”

Management appreciate s that the Panel also concluded that the plant will not exceed applicable air emission and cooling water discharge limits; will not adversely affect the nearby Narta Lagoon; and has not resulted in damage or destruction of any cultural heritage or critical natural habitats. A concern of the Panel was that a single consulting firm prepared both the feasibility study and the environmental assessment (EA), which is not consistent with the policy on environmental assessment that requires the independent preparation of the EA. Management has indicated that if future situations of this type must arise, not only will Management ensure there is an independent review of the environmental assessment by qualified specialists, Management will also seek from the Board a waiver of the specific policy provision.

The Panel raised concerns about the overall process of site selection and Management has agreed to better integrate review of environmental and social issues into such processes in future projects. Management also agrees that a thorough assessment of social issues and more extensive consultations should have been undertaken as part of the environmental assessment which would have allowed for an improved decision making and project implementation process. Regional Management has put in place measures to ensure social issues are fully take n into account in the preparation and implementation phases of future projects in the Europe and Central Asia Region. Management will also take measures to ensure that future environmental assessments for Bank supported projects define the potential zones of impact in a broader manner to allow for a more comprehensive understanding of issues.

Management presented an Action Plan for addressing the remaining issues identified by the Panel. The Board approved the Management Action Plan and it was agreed that Management will report back to the Board on the implementation of the Action Plan in six months time. Elements of the Action Plan include: focusing efforts to ensure that an Oil Spill Prevention and Response Plan is fully in place before the plant begins commercial operations; ensuring that state-of-the-art environmental monitoring continues at the plant with the participation of community representatives, and information is shared with civil society; and assisting the Government of Albania (through an Institutional Development Fund grant) to strengthen its capacity to comply with the Aarhus Convention regarding access to information and consultation processes. Management also indicated that it will continue to engage the Government of Albania on improvements in territorial planning.

“Albania’s economic development pays a steep price for the country’s shortages in electricity supply,” said Philippe Le Houérou, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia. “But it is the Albanian people who pay the ultimate price – depriving them of power for light, space heating, refrigeration, and cooking, affecting their quality of life and their health, as well as restricting their access to education. We are working with the Albanian government to make this project the best it can be, and we are going to take up the lessons identified by the panel and apply them more broadly in our work.”

The total Project cost is estimated to be US$112.66 million. In addition to a Credit equivalent to US$25 million (SDR 16.9 million) from the World Bank’s International Development Association, the Project is being financed through an European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) loan in an amount of US$37.5 million, and an European Investment Bank (EIB) loan of US$37.5 million.

For more information on the Inspection Panel, visit www.inspectionpanel.org.
For more information on the World Bank’s work in Albania, visit: www.worldbank.org/al

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Albania - Additional financing for the Social Service Delivery Project : procurement plan

2009-10-20T04:00:00.000Z

Albania - Social Services Delivery Project : procurement plan

2009-10-20T04:00:00.000Z

Global Crisis Hits Home in Emerging Europe and Central Asia

2009-10-03T07:40:09.000Z

Contacts:

Kristyn Schrader (90) 530-929-45-35

kschrader@worldbank.org

Tunya Celasin (90) 533-285-18-21

tcelasin@worldbank.org

ISTANBUL, October 3, 2009—The global economic crisis has reversed the impressive economic growth of recent years in Emerging Europe and Central Asia, hitting families hard with higher unemployment and lost wages. Financially weaker governments will need to protect poor people while strengthening institutions and infrastructure to attract investors, the World Bank said today at a press briefing at the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings.

“The global financial and economic crisis has literally hit home in many parts of Emerging Europe and Central Asia,” said Philippe Le Houérou, World Bank Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia. “What started as a financial crisis has become a social and human crisis. The global crisis has come on the heels of the food and fuel crises, which had already weakened people in the region by reducing their purchasing power. Today, rising poverty and joblessness are pushing households into poverty and making things even harder for those already poor.”

For the past decade, many countries of Emerging Europe and Central Asia notched up impressive growth, moving them closer to the living standards of Western Europe and other advanced economies. But the crisis has hit them hardest and stopped that convergence. Growth has plummeted from a fast clip of 7.6 percent in 2007 to 4.7 percent in 2008, and is projected at negative 5.6 percent in 2009.

“For years now, Emerging Europe and Central Asia has roared along in high gear,” said Le Houérou. “But the global crisis and the drying up of external private financial flows are stalling the engine of growth, prompting many to downshift and some to even slip into reverse. The job now for the governments in the region is to speed up reforms. The role of the international community is to help countries get back in gear. For us at the World Bank, that means essentially focusing our support to governments in their efforts to clean up the banking sector so that banks can provide a lifeline for firms and businesses to grow and create jobs, improve the business climate to attract private capital flows, make public spending more efficient so that the benefits reach working families, and continue to finance key public investments in infrastructure.”

Unemployment and deficits on the rise

The global crisis has hit some countries worse than others but today there is a danger that the region faces a weak and jobless recovery. Some countries, such as Poland, have fared better than others. Still, the number of jobless in the region has jumped from 8.3 million in 2008 to 11.4 million in 2009. It has doubled in the Baltic countries, grown by 60 percent in Turkey, and by one-third in other countries in the region.

“Instead of the number of poor falling by 15 million in 2009, we now project poverty to increase by about 15 million,” said Indermit Gill, World Bank Chief Economist for the Europe and Central Asia Region. “There are already 145 million poor people in the region – or almost one-third of the total population. For them, the crisis has made an already tough existence even tougher. Much of the world is getting good economic news this autumn. But for workers and their families in Emerging Europe and Central Asia the news is not encouraging. To them, the talk of recovery may seem premature.”

In the face of the unprecedented crisis, governments in Emerging Europe and Central Asia will have many hard choices to make, given that government deficits will increase from 1.5 percent of GDP in 2008 to 5.5 percent in 2009, said Gill. This will put more pressure on governments to make spending more efficient.

“Social spending makes up more than half of government expenditures so governments will need to make education, health care and social security more efficient,” Gill said. “School systems need to be resized to fit shrinking enrollment numbers due to falling fertility. Health care has to be restructured because many countries now have the health problems of high-income countries with the fiscal resources of middle-income economies. And social security has to be restructured to recognize that many countries in the region have aged before they have become wealthy. Reforms will help make governments fiscally healthy, economies robust, and societies more fair. Every responsible policymaker should take a hard look at these reforms.”

Also, governments must continue to improve their business environment to attract investment. During the last decade, countries in Emerging Europe and Central Asia have made progress in improving the climate for doing business. The region has been the top performer in the World Bank’s Doing Business ratings for the last six years—led first by countries in central and southern Europe and more recently by those in the Caucasus and Central Asia. This year, five of the top ten reformers were from the region: Krygyz Republic, FYR Macedonia, Belarus, Tajikistan, and Moldova.

World Bank supporting reforms through lending and advice

While governments are in the lead, the World Bank is helping countries navigate their way through the crisis, Le Houérou said. For its part, the World Bank is providing budget support to countries to support promising reform efforts. During the past year, the World Bank has increased financial support to the region by 60 percent, from $8 billion last year to $12.5 billion this year with the aim of mitigating the impact of the crisis on the poor, stabilizing banks, and positioning countries for post-crisis recovery. In September 2009 alone, the Bank approved $2 billion in budget support to Hungary, Latvia, and Ukraine.

Along with funding, the Bank is offering analytical support and encouraging governments to expand selected social safety net programs. Currently, most countries in the region have good programs that could be expanded during the crisis, such as those in the Kyrgyz Republic, Albania and Georgia where benefits are most likely to reach the neediest people. At the same time, the Bank is advising governments on how to fix less efficient programs to ensure benefits are reaching the right target audiences. Although many countries in the region have excelled on improving the business environment, many countries have not improved social service delivery.

The World Bank’s client countries in Emerging Europe and Central Asia are currently using Bank funds for 53 projects spanning institutional reform, infrastructure and interventions to help the neediest. Also, through the World Bank’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Bank has teamed up with the EBRD and EIB on a $31 billion fund to support the banking sector and to fund lending to businesses hit by the global economic crisis through equity and debt finance, credit lines, and political risk insurance. And the Bank’s political risk insurance arm, MIGA, has made up to $3 billion available for investments in the heavily hit economies of the region. Guarantees worth nearly half of a $1 billion were issued in support of shareholder loans made by parent banks to their subsidiaries in Ukraine and Russia.

For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org/eca

Bajkaj landfill/Himara waste transfer and associated structures : environmental impact assessment

2009-09-22T04:00:00.000Z

The objective of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Clean-up Project (ICZMCP) is to improve environmental conditions along Albania's coast by reducing pollution at Porto Romano and Durres industrial 'hot spot' of soil and water and significantly reduce human and environmental health hazards of the neighboring population groups. Some of the environmental impacts expected are: surface and ground water contamination; spread of contaminated dust; contamination of soil has caused impacts on flora, fauna, and grazing animals; destroyed building and disposal of residues, debris and solid waste has created a bad view of the area and destruction of vegetation. Some of the mitigation measures are: a) execute demolition and excavation works during daytime hours; b) spray with water demolition and excavation material to reduce dust emissions during dry periods; c) proper storage and disposal of demolition material; d) cover contaminated material with tarts and transport them in locked-up containers; and e) train workers in safety and health protection procedures; follow safety instructions when handling of easy inflammable materials, avoid open fires, replace lost trees, natural boundaries structures, and re-vegetate work areas.

Environmental impact assessment

2009-09-13T04:00:00.000Z

Albania: Better Information to Fight Poverty

2009-09-10T19:50:41.000Z

Last Updated: Sept 2009

Links:
- What is IDA?
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In 2005, approximately 19 percent of Albanians were living in poverty, including 3.5 percent on less than US$1 a day. In order to be more effective in its efforts to reduce poverty, the government needed detailed and accurate information, which was not available at the time. There was an increasing need to build government capacity to measure, monitor, and evaluate poverty to identify appropriate policy responses.

In order to make its poverty strategy more coherent, efficient, and integrated, the Government of Albania adopted a set of guiding principles in 2005, supported by a National Development and Integration Strategy (NSDI) and a medium term budget program. The Department of Strategy and Donor Coordination at the Council of Ministers was responsible for coordinating the preparation of the NSDI and, together with the Ministry of Finance and the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), reviewing sector strategies. The NSDI provided clear guidelines for the government to develop a five-year program of official statistics to support the implementation and monitoring of NSDI goals. INSTAT was made responsible for coordinating the collection of the data needed for monitoring.

The Albania Programmatic Poverty Assessment Program improved the collection and analysis of poverty data, helping the government’s policy-making in the fight against poverty.

Highlights:
- INSTAT is now able to conduct good-quality poverty surveys and its diagnosis capacity has increased.

- Regular and credible client-driven poverty diagnostics are now undertaken and knowledge gaps are being filled through new analytical work.

-The 2002-2005 Living Standard Measurement Survey (LSMS) was used to assess the targeting and effectiveness of the social assistance program, and its impact on labor force participation, as well as to identify the distribution of the vulnerable segments of the population.

- A Poverty Note was prepared in 2006 and a full Poverty Assessment in 2007. An evaluation of the social assistance program was carried out in 2008 followed by the production of updated poverty maps the same year. Also, a report on the role of migration on human capital accumulation was produced in 2007.

- The social assistance program is now better targeted—it reached one-third of the poor in 2005 compared to one-quarter in 2002. A new social assistance reform strategy will target more poor people by updating the registry and revising the targeting method.

- Policy-makers are using key findings and analyses to formulate poverty-reduction action plans.

- The program contributed to the social inclusion strategy, which identifies key vulnerable groups (children, women, disabled, Roma) who need special care services.

IDA contributed US$0.4 million to the Albania Programmatic Poverty Assessment Program. INSTAT staff received extensive technical assistance during the implementation of the Household Budget Survey in 2007, the Living Standard Measurement Survey in 2008 and the Labor Force Survey the same year.

Government partners include: the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunity, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Strategy and Donor Coordination and the Albanian Institute of Statistics. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided multi-year financial support.

Monitoring the impact of the global financial crisis in Albania raises new challenges. It will be important to monitor the impact of the water and electricity reforms on the population, especially the poor. To sustain initial progress, it is key to continue to build the capacity of various agencies for collecting data and undertaking evidence-based policy analysis.

Better Information to Fight Poverty

The project Catastrophe Deferred Draw-Down Option has changed to Dropped

2009-08-27T04:00:00.000Z

The project Catastrophe Deferred Draw-Down Option has changed to Dropped. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Minutes of the first public consultation

2009-08-20T04:00:00.000Z

Minutes of meeting of the second public consultation

2009-08-20T04:00:00.000Z

Southern coastal development plan - strategic environmental assessment

2009-08-20T04:00:00.000Z

Environmental impact assessment for the construction of the new animal health laboratories

2009-08-10T04:00:00.000Z

Activities under Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response projects for Albania are not expected to generate significant adverse environmental effects as they are focused largely on public sector capacity building and improved readiness for dealing with outbreaks of avian influenza in domestic poultry and a potential human pandemic. These prevention-focused activities are expected to have a positive environmental impact as the Project's investments in facilities, equipment, and training for border inspection points and for veterinary and public health services and laboratories will improve the effectiveness and safety over existing avian influenza handling and testing procedures. The main areas of environmental risk from project activities are the inadvertent spread of the AI virus during culling, transport and disposal of carcasses, animal waste, litter, and used protective gear; construction and operation of incinerators for treatment of disposals from labs and hospitals; contamination of surface and groundwater from use of disinfectants; and laboratory bio-safety and waste management. Animal Health Component will support strengthening of disease monitoring and surveillance, border controls and planning for containment measures in event of an outbreak, including preparation of plans for compensation. Mitigation Measures for Animal Health Component: Disposal of infected materials by burial. In Albania, the existing animal carcass disposal method is digging of burial pits and use of quicklime to prevent earthworms bringing contaminated material to the surface after pit closure. The Project aims to address the risks of inadvertent spreading of the virus during disposal of carcasses by burial.

Jane Armitage, World Bank Country Director and Regional Coordinator for Southeast Europe, visits Albania

2009-08-06T12:45:00.000Z

TIRANA, August 6, 2009 - Mrs. Jane Armitage, Country Director and Regional Coordinator for South East Europe visited Albania from August 2-6, 2009. The aim of her visit was to assess the progress in implementation of World Bank-financed projects in Albania. In this context, she visited several project sites and met with beneficiaries. In addition, Ms Armitage discussed with the Albanian high level authorities the current macroeconomic and fiscal situation and the impact of the international financial crisis as well as started the dialogue on the program of the World Bank financing for the next four years.

During her visit, Mrs. Armitage met with Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Mr. Ridvan Bode – Minister of Finance, Mr. Fatos Ibrahimi – Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania, other government officials, project beneficiaries, private sector and civil society representatives. During this visit, she was accompanied by Mrs. Camille Nuamah, Country Manager for Albania.

Mrs. Armitage commended the government on good progress on implementing bank financed projects and expressed appreciation for the good collaboration. They also discussed the priorities for the upcoming Country Partnership Strategy (CPS).

Mrs. Armitage visited and met project beneficiaries in Tirana, Fier, Vlora, Jale and Berat including from the Education Excellence and Equity, Avian Influenza and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response, Power Sector Generation, Energy Community of South East Europe APL 2 on Transmission, Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Clean-Up, Secondary and Local Roads projects. She toured the proposed site for a new school in Paskuqan. Ms. Armitage also visited the Intensive Care unit at the Mother Teresa Hospital, the Virology Laboratory at the Institute of Public Health and the proposed site of the Animal Health Laboratory, all of them financed under the Avian Influenza and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response project.

Mrs. Armitage toured the Vlore power plant site where she expressed satisfaction with the progress and implementation of environmental mitigation actions. She also visited an electricity substation in Berat. Recalling also the World Bank Group’s other projects in dam safety and privatization of the distribution operator, she noted “it is very encouraging to see that the World Bank’s long engagement in the energy sector in Albania, together with other donors, is yielding long awaited improvements in the supply of energy for development.”

In Fier, the Country Director spent a few hours with the pilot Water Users Organization of Cukas where farmers expressed their gratitude for the support under the Water Resources Management project which has contributed to the expansion of the irrigated area and to the increase in agricultural yields and production. Inspecting the rehabilitation of a road in Berat, Mrs. Armitage expressed appreciation for the rapid implementation of the Secondary and Local Roads Project, "such investments that help link communities more easily to markets in nearby towns are really critical for improving rural livelihoods and lifting even more Albanians out of poverty."

During her visit in Jale, Mrs. Armitage also met with the families involved in the Inspection Panel Case on the Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Clean-Up Project to discuss the progress on the implementation of the Action Plan of the Management Report.

The discussions with the Government, the Bank of Albania and private sector representatives focused on the current macroeconomic situation and fiscal performance as well as on the review of the implementation of the World Bank's Country Strategy for Albania (2006-2009) and the priorities for the new Country Partnership Strategy (2010-2013). Mrs. Armitage expressed satisfaction with the performance of the World Bank financed projects and encouraged the authorities to persevere in their reforms to lay a good basis for increasing private investment and jobs and reducing poverty. In this context, Mrs. Armitage also emphasized some of the challenges facing the Albanian economy, in particular the current fiscal performance, including the budget deficit and debt levels, reduction of the credit to the economy, and current account deficit. She noted the importance of a prudent fiscal policy particularly in the context of the overall financial crisis and the diminishing trend observed in the remittances.

Albania joined the Wold Bank in 1991. World Bank commitments to the country to date total approximately $1.1 billion for 67 operations. Currently there are 18 operations under implementation with commitments of US $300 million.

- # # # -
For more information, visit:
http://www.worldbank.org.al

Europe and Central Asia Facing Significant Climate Change Threats, But Are In ‘Adaptation Deficit’

2009-06-02T14:25:40.000Z

Contacts:
In Brussels: Alexander Rowland +32-478-319939
Arowland@worldbank.org

In Washington: Kristyn Schrader +1-202-458-2736
Kschrader@worldbank.org

BONN, June 2, 2009—The World Bank today warned that the impact of climate change in the Europe and Central Asia Region* will be more significant than expected due to a lingering post-Soviet legacy of environmental mismanagement and the poor state of much of the Region’s infrastructure, leaving the countries poorly prepared to adapt.

“Europe and Central Asia suffers from an ‘adaptation deficit’ that is already challenged by recent climate variability,” said Marianne Fay, Director of the World Bank’s World Development Report 2010, and author of the new report ‘Adapting to Climate Change in Europe and Central Asia’, “which will only worsen with the consequences of projected trends in climate in the coming decades.”

Fay added that “While almost two decades have passed since the breakup of the Soviet Union and its partner countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the legacy of environmental mismanagement and oversized infrastructure in countries outside the European Union still remains a dangerous holdover from the past. It greatly worsens the countries’ vulnerability to even modest changes in the climate.”

Launched today during the UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Talks and on the eve of ‘World Environment Day’ (June 5^th), the report says that, contrary to popular perception, the Region is significantly threatened by climate change and is already experiencing the consequences: increasing variability, warmer temperatures, changing hydrology, and more extremes – droughts, floods, heat waves, as well as windstorms and forest fires.

Average temperatures across ECA have already increased by 0.5ºC in the south to 1.6ºC in the north (Siberia) since the early 1900s and overall increases of 1.6 to 2.6ºC above are expected by the middle of the century, with the greater changes occurring in the more northern latitudes. The north is projected to see greater temperature changes in winter, with the number of frost days declining by 14 to 30 days over the next 20 to 40 years. Southern parts of the region are expected to see the greatest changes in the summer, with the number of hot days increasing by 22 to 37 days over the same period. This warming trend is significant: by mid-century, countries such as Poland or Hungary are expected to experience the same number of hot days (>30^oC) as today’s Spain or Sicily.

According to Fay, “Increases in temperature are affecting hydrology, with a rapid melting of the region’s glaciers and a decrease in winter snows. Many countries are already suffering from winter floods and summer droughts – with both Southeastern Europe and Central Asia at risk for severe water shortages. Summer heat waves are expected to claim more lives than will be saved by warmer winters.”

The report says that changes in sea level, another impact of climate change, will affect the Region’s four basins – the Baltic Sea, the East Adriatic and Mediterranean coast of Turkey, the Black Sea, and the Caspian – and the Russian Arctic Ocean. On the Baltic, Poland, with its heavily populated low-lying coast, is the most vulnerable. Along the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, storm surge and saltwater intrusion into aquifers threaten parts of the Croatian, Albanian, and Turkish coasts. Sea level rise in the Black Sea is already threatening numerous ports and towns along the Russian, Ukrainian, and Georgian coasts. In the Caspian Sea, increased surface evaporation is projected to decrease water levels by as much as 6 meters by the end of the 21st century, imperiling

fish stocks and affecting coastal infrastructure.

However, according to the report, legacy issues make the Region even more vulnerable. Under the Soviet system, economic growth was pursued in blatant disregard to natural conditions. When water was needed for irrigation, the rivers feeding the Aral Sea were diverted to the desert to produce rice, fruit, and cotton. Uzbekistan became one of the world’s largest exporters of cotton, but at the cost of destroying the Aral Sea in the process.

The historic poor environmental management across the Region has its consequences. Even countries and sectors that stand to benefit from climate change are currently poorly positioned to do so. According to Fay, “Much has been made of the fact that warmer climate and abundant precipitation in the northeastern part of Europe and Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine – will open up a new agricultural frontier. However, any local potential benefit pales in comparison to the costs of the region’s relative inefficiency and low productivity. While world grain yields have been growing on average by about 1.5 percent per year, they have been falling or stagnant in these three countries.”

But over the next ten to twenty years, Europe and Central Asia’s resilience to climate shocks can be strengthened with improved infrastructure and environmental management systems, all of which will have positive consequences for sustainable development. Regardless of climate change, Europe and Central Asia will gain from improving its water resource management, tackling its environmental pollution problems, upgrading neglected infrastructure and housing, and strengthening disaster management. These steps will also greatly strengthen the Region’s ability to cope with the current climate.

Adapting to the changing climate will also require specific climate-related actions: investments in weather and water monitoring; the capacity to interpret and disseminate climate information; institutions to support adaptation efforts, whether by large firms or small farmers; and policies to foster incentives for informed, proactive responses to the challenges of climate change.

The Europe and Central Asian countries will need to develop strategies to reduce vulnerability to future changes. Jane Ebinger, World Bank Senior Energy Specialist, emphasized the need for stakeholder involvement in adaption. “Adaptation strategies will require steps to bring together policy makers, planners, asset owners, academics, and civil society to discuss and assess the risks a country may face from current weather and projected climate change, and identify possible adaptation measures, their costs and benefits. In addition, the experience of countries, regions, or cities currently developing and implementing adaptation plans offers valuable lessons and methodologies.”

*Europe and Central Asia Region economies: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania FYR Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,

For more information, please visit: www.worldbank.org/eca

###

Modeling migration dynamics in Albania : a hazard function approach

2009-05-27T04:00:00.000Z

Since 1990 migration flows from Albania have been massive, relative to the size of the country and its population, but they have also fluctuated over time. This paper presents and discusses various descriptive trends, mainly in graphical form. The data come from the Albanian Living Standards Measurement Survey, 2005 round, and cover the period 1990-2004. The resulting observed trends reflect changing push and pull factors in Albania and the two main host countries, Greece and Italy. The paper also presents a hazard approach to modeling Albanian emigration and return migration. This analysis highlights, among other things, the relevance of networks in Albanian migration dynamics, both to promote emigration and to delay return.

Albania - Second Community Works Project

2009-05-27T04:00:00.000Z

Ratings for the Second Community Works Project (CWP II) for Albania were as follows: outcomes were satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was moderate, Bank performance was satisfactory, and Borrower performance was also satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: 1) in projects involving the introduction of community participation in investment planning and development decision making, ensure that the level of participation is appropriate to the local context. In the case of Albania, where all planning and development decision making had been controlled by a socialist national government until 1990s, it was important to take a gradual approach in devolving responsibility for investment planning and implementation. This allowed the project to move in the direction of giving greater responsibility to communities and local governments, build ownership for the investments, and thus encourage communities to support operations and maintenance (O&M) and to sustain a culture of civic engagement; 2) community works projects need to emphasize technical quality and operations and maintenance to ensure sustainability of sub-projects. CWP II addressed the need for improved technical quality through requirements for design, procurement, supervision of works, and O&M. The project also provided technical assistance to the implementing agency to ensure adequate attention to technical quality in supervising the works. Measures also were taken to prepare clear Terms of References (TORs) for designers and supervisors, improve technical specifications and design standards, improve documentation, and provide better training; and 3) managing community works projects requires a well-designed M&E system. The experience of CWP II highlights the need to assign attention to developing robust M&E indictors that are outcome oriented. The project also demonstrates the need for better baseline data that can be compared against ex-post data. The use of Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) data should only be considered if there is a specific module for project evaluation and a proper sampling procedure to ensure adequate coverage.

Four New Countries Join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Three New Donors Support Implementation through the World Bank

2009-05-18T14:32:13.000Z

Contacts

In Washington:

Mauricio Rios

(202) 458-2458

mrios@worldbank.org;

In Oslo:

Mr Anders Kråkenes

+47 46662888

akrakenes@eiti.org

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2009 – The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Board today announced that it has accepted four new countries as EITI candidates: Albania, Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Zambia. With these four new candidates, 30 countries are now implementing the EITI process, further bolstering EITI as the standard for transparent management of revenues from the oil, gas and mining sectors.

The EITI Board, the global initiative to improve transparency in the extractives sector, held a series of meetings with diverse stakeholders in Washington DC, hosted by the World Bank Group. Ten donor countries and the European Commission currently provide funding to the World Bank-administered EITI Multi-donor Trust Fund (MDTF)—Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and the European Commission. Finland just joined as a donor country, and the United States and Switzerland will be joining the donor group soon. The World Bank has been a supporter of the EITI since the early days, and this Trust Fund provides technical assistance for implementation of the EITI process in developing countries.

During last week a series of EITI related meetings also have been held at World Bank headquarters, including a meeting on improving EITI reporting, on sub-national implementation of the EITI process, and on engagement with civil society.

Somit Varma, World Bank Director for Oil, Gas, and Mining said:

“I am encouraged that more countries from Africa and other regions of the world are joining the EITI process and recognizing the benefits of greater transparency in the extractive industries sector. It is, however, only when countries take full ownership of this voluntary initiative that it can succeed. The World Bank is committed to supporting governments in this effort.”

An important theme at the National Coordinator meeting was planning for EITI Validation, the mechanism for external Quality Assurance of EITI implementation in the country. Twenty-one of the EITI Candidate countries are facing a deadline in March 2010 to complete EITI Validation. The need for support of countries’ efforts to go through the Validation process was reiterated by the EITI Board Chairman, Dr Peter Eigen, who said:

“By committing to the EITI and undergoing an independent EITI Validation, governments and companies demonstrate their commitment to openness, transparency and good governance. It is impressive to see all the efforts in EITI implementing countries to prepare for Validation and meet the EITI standard. The international community recognizes such efforts and supports these governments and their stakeholders in their implementation of the EITI”

Since it was put forward in 2002 the EITI has moved towards becoming the global standard for revenue transparency in the extractive industries. Through implementing the EITI, countries bring together companies, civil society and government representatives to monitor and account for payments being made to governments by extractives companies operating in their country. Countries that have met all of the reporting and operational indicators set out under the EITI guidelines and completed a rigorous validation process are then considered to be EITI Compliant, establishing that a country's revenue reporting standards in its extractive sector have achieved a greater level of transparency.

About the World Bank

The World Bank is a multilateral development institution and one of the world’s largest sources of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Comprised of 185 member governments, its primary focus is to help the world’s poorest people and the poorest countries. The World Bank uses its financial resources, its staff, and extensive experience to help developing countries reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve their quality of life. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org. For more information about the World Bank’s work with the EITI, visit

http://www.worldbank.org/eititf.

About EITI

The EITI is a coalition of governments, companies, civil society groups, investors and international organizations. All these constituencies are represented on the Board, which is chaired by Peter Eigen. The EITI Secretariat is hosted by the Norwegian Government in Oslo and was formally opened on 26 September 2007. For more information, visit: www.eitransparency.org

Background Information

3.5 billion people live in countries rich in oil, gas and minerals. With good governance the exploitation of these resources can generate large revenues to foster growth and reduce poverty. However when governance is weak, it may result in poverty, corruption, and conflict. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) aims to strengthen governance by improving transparency and accountability in the extractives sector. The EITI sets a global standard for companies to publish what they pay and for governments to disclose what they receive.
The 30 countries that are implementing the EITI are: Albania, Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Republic of the Congo, São Tomé e Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Yemen and Zambia.
The 13 Donors supporting (or committed to supporting) the EITI through the Multi-donor Trust Fund administered by the World Bank include: Australia, Belgium, Canada, the European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland (pending), UK, and USA (pending).

The project Privatization of the Power Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Partial Risk Guarantee has changed to Active

2009-05-08T04:00:00.000Z

The project Privatization of the Power Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Partial Risk Guarantee has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Privatization of the Electricity Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Partial Risk Guarantee (PRG) Project for Albania is to facilitate the privatization of OSSH in the context of a new regulatory framework. The project will be considered successful if: 1) the transaction is closed and the strategic investor takes over OSSH; and 2) if the new regulatory framework is implemented as agreed for the period of the PRG coverage. The PRG will backstop the Government's debt obligation to a commercial bank that has, on behalf of the Government, paid under a Letter of Credit (L/C) that may be drawn by the privatized OSSH in specified circumstances. This will be the second PRG to be provided in support of a power distribution privatization transaction and this use of the PRG was developed specifically to enhance and facilitate the privatization and concessioning of infrastructure and public service utilities. Access to reliable electricity is a key driver of economic growth and a direct means of reducing poverty because it improves the productivity of households and enhances the delivery of social services. The successful privatization of electricity utilities, a key component of reforming energy markets, is therefore a priority for the governments of many developing countries and transition economies, as they seek to improve efficiency and reliability, and attract private investment in the sector. In the Bank's experience, a satisfactory privatization of power distribution utilities should precede efforts to attract private investment to other parts of the sector; as cash flows arise mostly from distribution.

World Bank Continues to Support the Electricity Sector in Albania

2009-05-05T21:33:06.000Z

Contacts:

In Tirana: Kozeta Haxhiaj

+355 42 280 650/1

khaxhiaj@worldbank.org

In Washington: Ana Gjokutaj

(202) 473-89927

agjokutaj@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2009 – The World Bank Board of Directors approved today a €60 million (US$78 million) Partial Risk Guarantee for the Albania Privatization of the Energy Distribution System Operator (OSSH). This Guarantee will facilitate the recent privatization of the Operator by enabling the Government of Albania and CEZ of the Czech Republic as the new buyer, to implement the Privatization Agreement for OSSH under the agreed Regulatory Framework. The Guarantee period is until December 31, 2014 and covers the Regulatory Framework as part of the Privatization Agreement, which was ratified by the Albanian Parliament in April 2009.

The electricity sector in Albania has been problematic for many years. The inadequate performance of the electricity distribution, in particular, has been affecting the whole sector resulting in blackouts for households, firms and state bodies. The power sector also presented fiscal challenges for the government, forcing it to subsidize electricity using funds that could be spent more effectively to provide health, education, and social assistance for Albanians that face hardship. The privatization agreements and the agreed regulatory framework provide an overall balanced approach, where the privatized OSSH undertakes significant and challenging commitments to improve performance, while the Government and the Regulatory Entity agree to provide reasonable returns if that performance is reached.

“We believe that this Guarantee project will help OSSH to invest in the electricity network, reduce system losses and non-payment of bills, improve the overall electricity situation for all Albanians in the medium term, and reduce the fiscal burden imposed on the Albanian economy,” said Demetrios Papathanasiou, Leader of the World Bank team designing the project. “This project will also contribute to the success of the Albanian power market and its further integration into the Energy Community”.

IFC’s Private Enterprise Partnership-Southeast Europe Infrastructure advised the Albanian Government for OSSH’s privatization.

The Guarantee will be made available by the Bank to Albania at no cost, as long as there is no breach of the agreed Regulatory Framework. The Bank has been engaged in the Albanian power sector since 1992 through investment projects, donors’ coordination, and policy dialogue. Since joining the World Bank in 1992, the commitments to Albania total approximately US$1,083 billion.

For more information on World Bank-sponsored projects in Albania, please visit: www.worldbank.org.al

Albania: Privatization of the Power Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Project

2009-05-05T20:39:42.000Z

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2009 - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved the following project:

IBRD Partial Risk Guarantee (PRG): US$78 million

TERMS: Maximum Term: 8 years

Project Description: The Privatization of the Power Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Project for Albania aims to facilitate the privatization of OSSH in the context of a new regulatory framework. The project will be considered successful if: 1) the transaction is closed and the strategic investor takes over OSSH; and 2) if the new regulatory framework is implemented as agreed for the period of the PRG coverage. Access to reliable electricity is a key driver of economic growth and a direct means of reducing poverty because it improves the productivity of households and enhances the delivery of social services. The successful privatization of electricity utilities, a key component of reforming energy markets, is therefore a priority for the governments of many developing countries and transition economies, as they seek to improve efficiency and reliability, and attract private investment in the sector. In the Bank's experience, a satisfactory privatization of power distribution utilities should precede efforts to attract private investment to other parts of the sector; as cash flows arise mostly from distribution.

Media Contact

Jonathan Daly

(202) 458-2624

jdaly1@worldbank.org

Michael Andrew Jones

(202) 473-2588

mjones2@worldbank.org

For more project information, please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P112242

Moving up the ladder ? the impact of migration experience on occupational mobility in Albania

2009-04-24T04:00:00.000Z

The contribution of return migrants to economic development in source countries can be significant. Overseas savings of returnees may lead to improvements in household welfare and provide liquidity for investments in the face of credit market failures. Labor market experience and skills acquired abroad may also lead migrants to find occupations higher in the skill and remuneration spectrum upon return. This study uses the 2005 Albanian Living Standards Measurement Study Survey and estimates the impact of international migration experience on the occupational mobility of return migrants vis a vis working-age Albanian residents that never migrated. Controlling for the non-random nature of international migration and return, the results show that past migration experience increases the likelihood of upward occupational mobility. Exploring the heterogeneity of impact by host country indicates that the positive effect of past migration experience on upward occupational mobility is driven by past migration experience in Italy and countries further a field, while past migration experience in Greece does not exert any significant impact on mobility outcomes. The results, which are consistent across different sample specifications and outcome variables measuring occupational mobility, hint at the link between migration and human/financial capital formation among migrants and foster optimism concerning the positive effect of return migration on economic development. This insight is particularly important since remittances from permanent migrants, which have fueled the impressive growth performance of the country in the recent era, may taper off in the medium to long term with the decline in out-migration and growing global economic woes.

World Bank supports civic engagement for improved social accountability in Albania

2009-04-15T14:15:33.000Z

TIRANA, April 15, 2009 – Today the World Bank Office in Tirana announced the winners of the Civil Society Fund for 2009. The focus of the program this year was civic engagement for improved social accountability. The winning projects will help to:

Improve public transparency and accountability of development activities, contributing to the enabling environment for good governance;
Promote greater citizen participation and discussion at the national and local level on issues related to control of corruption;
Promote public accountability for improved access and quality of basic services;
Empower communities and different groups to exercise the public rights for access to information and governance monitoring;
Strengthen accountability mechanisms for advocacy and increased involvement of citizens and civil society to encourage improved performance of public services delivery and policy making-bodies;
Give voice to the concerns of primary and secondary stakeholders and help that their views are factored into policy and program decisions;

After carefully reviewing around 70 project proposals, the External Evaluation Committee comprising representatives from the donor community and international organizations focused on civil society, and an Internal Evaluation Committee composed of World Bank staff, has selected 8 winning projects. The total amount available for this year program was $45,000, while the average grant size was $5,600. The geographical distribution of projects covers almost all regions of the country.

The following NGOs and their respective projects met the criteria for receiving grants by the Civil Society Fund:

Social Cinema – (Eko-lëvizja), Tirana, Vore, Berzhite, Ndroq
Improved access to information and human rights for the blind, Association of Blind Persons of Albania, Tirane, Durres
Civic Engagement and Transparency Center, Coordination Center of Local NGOs, Permet
Environment is everyone’s responsibility, Lëvizja Mjaft!, Shkodër, Elbasan, Gjirokastër, Korce
Citizen engagement in favor of public services, Albanian Association for Environmental Education, Shkoder
Supporting Roma community towards improving their living conditions and their integration through the social accountability and civic engagement of the marginalized groups, For the Future of Roma – Mother’s Heart, Tirane
Improvement of the public communication strategies in the municipalities of Korca and Berat, Agenda Institute, Korce and Berat
Rural women’s access to information on the rights and benefits from the social insurance scheme in Albania, Women and Progress, all over the country.

The Program of Civil Society Fund offers grants to the civil society with the intention of promoting dialogue and disseminating information on development as such. The program was started back in 1983 and is funded by the Development Grant Facility of World Bank.

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For more information, visit:
http://www.worldbank.org.al

International migration and gender differentials in the home labor market : evidence from Albania

2009-04-14T04:00:00.000Z

This paper examines the role of male-dominated international migration in shaping labor market outcomes by gender in migrant-sending households in Albania. Using detailed information on family migration experience from the latest Living Standards Measurement Study survey, the authors find that male and female labor supplies respond differently to the current and past migration episodes of household members. Controlling for the potential endogeneity of migration and for the income (remittances) effect, the estimates show that having a migrant abroad decreases female paid labor supply and increases unpaid work. However, women with past family migration experience are significantly more likely to engage in self-employment and less likely to supply unpaid work. The same relationships do not hold for men. These findings suggest that over time male-dominated Albanian migration may lead to women's empowerment in access to income-earning opportunities at the origin.

Albania - Privatization of the Electricity Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Partial Risk Guarantee Project

2009-04-09T04:00:00.000Z

Albanian Government and World Bank signs credit agreement for the Additional Financing for Albania’s Social Services Delivery Project

2009-04-07T12:25:10.000Z

TIRANA, April 7, 2009 -- Today Albania and the World Bank signed the credit agreement for the World Bank Additional Loan on Social Services Delivery Project, totaling US$ 5 million. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Republic of Albania by Minister of Finance Ridvan Bode and on behalf of the World Bank by the Country Manager Camille Nuamah. The ceremony was held at the Ministry of Finance in the presence of high government officials as well as members of the team who have prepared the projects. This project was approved on March 17, 2009 by the World Bank Board of Directors.

This financing is targeted at making improvements in the efficiency and the effectiveness of the Albanian pension system by improving pension system administration, supporting institutional strengthening, including improved capacity for pension policy development and improving public understanding of the pension system

“The activities supported by this financing,” said Camille Nuamah, Country Manager for Albania, “will support the administrative reform of the pension system, develop the Central Archive of contributors and beneficiaries, build needed capacity for pension policy development, and promote public education on the pension system.”

“I thank the World Bank, said the Minister of Finance Ridvan Bode, “for the assistance offered to the social services sector in Albania and particularly to the Social Insurance Institute, as well as for the modernization of the pension system administration.”

The project was launched in January 2002 with the objective of improving the standard of living of poor and vulnerable population groups in Albania by:

Increasing their access to effective social care services;
Assisting the government to develop effective social care policy and improve its capacity for delivery and monitoring of social care services, and
Improving the efficiency and the effectiveness of the pension system.

To date, the original credit has supported service delivery in 43 daily care centers, offering services under newly developed service standards and policies to more than 25,000 beneficiaries from vulnerable groups. In addition, 13 residential care centers were supported to improve service delivery. Finally, the credit established the legal and strategic framework in the social care area and strengthened capacity at central and local government levels.

Albania joined the World Bank in 1991. World Bank commitments to the country to-date total approximately US$1 billion for 68 operations.

- # # # -
For more information, visit
http://www.worldbank.org.al

The project Social Service Delivery Project Additional Financing has changed to Active

2009-04-02T04:00:00.000Z

The project Social Service Delivery Project Additional Financing has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

This project paper provides an additional loan to Albania Social Services Delivery project (SSDP). The additional financing to the SSDP will support scaling up of current project activities related to the administrative reform of the Albanian pension system. The additional financing is expected to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Albanian pension system by improving pension system administration; supporting institutional strengthening, including improved capacity for pension policy development; and improving public understanding of the pension system. The original project development objective (PDO) remains valid for the ongoing activities. However, the additional financing will expand the PDO, to encompass the scaled-up activities. The PDO for the whole project, including portions to be supported with this additional financing, is: to improve the standards of living of poor and vulnerable population groups in Albania by: (a) increasing their access to effective social care services; (b) assisting the Government to develop effective social care policy and improve its capacity for delivery and monitoring of social care services; and (c) improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the pension system in Albania through: i) improving pension system administration; ii) institutional strengthening including improved capacity for pension policy development; and iii) improving public understanding of the pension system.

Albania - Privatization of the Electricity Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Partial Risk Guarantee Project

2009-03-18T04:00:00.000Z

The project Privatization of the Electricity Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Partial Risk Guarantee is now in the pipeline.

2009-03-18T04:00:00.000Z

The project Privatization of the Electricity Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Partial Risk Guarantee is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

World Bank Approves US$5 Million in Additional Financing for Albania’s Social Services Delivery Project

2009-03-17T22:21:10.000Z

Contact:

In Tirana: Ana Gjokutaj (355-42)80 655

agjokutaj@worldbank.org

In Washington: Michael Jones (+1-202) 473-2588

Mjones2@worldbank.org

TIRANA, March 17, 2009 -- The World Bank Board of Directors today approved a loan of US$5 million in additional financing to the Republic of Albania for the Social Services Delivery Project. The additional financing will complement the original credit of US$10 million, and will be used for scaling-up current project activities related to the administrative reform of the Albanian pension system.

This additional financing is targeted at making improvements in the efficiency and the effectiveness of the Albanian pension system by improving pension system administration, supporting institutional strengthening, including improved capacity for pension policy development and improving public understanding of the pension system.

“The activities supported by this financing,” said Lorena Kostallari, Task Team Leader for the Social Services Delivery Project, “will support the administrative reform of the pension system, develop the Central Archive of contributors and beneficiaries, build capacity for pension policy development, and promote public education on the pension system.”

The project was launched in January 2002 with the objective of improving the standard of living of poor and vulnerable population groups in Albania by:

· Increasing their access to effective social care services;

· Assisting the government to develop effective social care policy and improve its capacity for delivery and monitoring of social care services, and

· Improving the efficiency and the effectiveness of the pension system.

Albania joined the World Bank in 1991. World Bank commitments to the country to-date total approximately US$1.4 billion for 67 operations.

****

For more information, visit:

http://www.worldbank.org.al

Albania: Social Services Delivery Project

2009-03-17T22:11:00.000Z

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2009 - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved the following project:

IBRD Loan: US$5 Million

TERMS: Maturity = 25 years; Grace period = 10 years

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This additional financing will complement the original credit of US $10 million and will be used for scaling-up current project activities related to the administrative reform of the Albanian pension system. This additional financing is targeted at making improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the Albanian pension system by improving pension system administration, supporting institutional strengthening, including improved capacity for pension policy development and improving public understanding of the pension system. To date, the original credit has supported service delivery in 43 daily care centers, offering services under newly developed service standards and policies to more than 25,000 beneficiaries from vulnerable groups. In addition, 13 residential care centers were supported to improve service delivery. Finally, the credit established the legal and strategic framework in the social care area and strengthened capacity at central and local government levels.

Media Contact

Michael Jones

(202) 473-2588

mjones2@worldbank.org

For more information on this project visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P107382

For more information, please visit the Projects website.

Albania - Electricity Distribution System Operator (OSSH) Privatization Partial Risk Guarantee Project

2009-03-17T04:00:00.000Z

IFC Helps Privatize Albania’s Electricity Distribution Company to Improve Power Supply

2009-03-11T11:56:46.000Z

Tirana, Albania, March 11, 2009 —IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, advised the government of Albania on the privatization of the Electricity Distribution Company of Albania (OSSH), which will help increase the supply of electricity in the country.

The government of Albania today signed a contract for the sale of 76 percent of the shares of OSSH to Czech power utility ČEZ. IFC advised the government on the unbundling of the company, structuring the transaction, and executing an open, transparent and competitive bidding process.

ČEZ was selected as the winning bidder in October 2008. The decision was confirmed by the government after further consultations. The value of the contract is €102 million. The privatization demonstrates how transactions run professionally by a committed government can attract serious investors despite the global financial crisis.

“We are sure that ČEZ will significantly improve the supply of electricity in Albania, which will lead to increased customer satisfaction” said Genc Ruli, Albania’s Minister of Economy, Trade, and Energy. “The selection of ČEZ and the bidding process were conducted according to international best practice. We are very satisfied with our cooperation with IFC.”

Vladimír Schmalz, ČEZ’s Director of Mergers and Acquisitions, added: “ČEZ Group has long-term and deep experience with distribution companies restructuring in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania. We are happy to offer this know-how for the benefit of the Albanian electricity distribution sector.”

Shahbaz Mavaddat, IFC Director for Southern Europe and Central Asia, said, “The privatization of OSSH is the result of an advisory effort to ensure a fair and transparent process, building on our previous work with the government. The contract award to ČEZ is another major milestone in improving the economic and social well-being of Albania and its citizens.”

The Albanian government and IFC have been working together to improve the country’s infrastructure since 2006, drafting and approving the new Concession Law. Since then IFC has also advised on the development of the Ashta hydropower plant, the first in the region to follow best practice for open competitive bidding and for addressing social and environmental concerns.

IFC’s advisory work on infrastructure in Southeast Europe is part of a program jointly funded by the governments of Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States. A portion of the project’s costs was also financed by DEVCO, a multi-donor facility established by IFC and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.

About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $16.2 billion in fiscal 2008, a 34 percent increase over the previous year. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

About CEZ
CEZ is the leading Central European utility, with almost 7 million customers and a generation portfolio of more than 14,300 megawatts of installed capacity in nuclear, coal, or hydro power plants. CEZ Group ranks among the top 10 largest utility companies in Europe. Apart from its home base in the Czech Republic, CEZ Group is also active in more than 10 countries in Central and Southeastern Europe. For more information, visit: www.cez.cz

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The project Youth Empowerment through Community Development in Albania is now in the pipeline.

2009-03-11T04:00:00.000Z

The project Youth Empowerment through Community Development in Albania is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Albania to Assess Climate Change Risk to Energy Sector

2009-03-10T14:00:00.000Z

Contacts:
In Tirana Ana Gjokutaj,
agjokutaj@worldbank.org
+355 4 2280 650/1
In Washington
Kristyn Schrader,
kschrader@worldbank.org
+1 202 458 6750
Christopher Walsh,
cwalsh@worldbank.org
+1 202 473 4594

Tirana, March 10, 2009 — Climate change is already occurring and early action to manage the risks that changing climate trends pose to existing energy infrastructure in Albania may reduce vulnerability and increase the resilience of the sector as it moves forward, according to the World Bank.

In the coming decades, Albania is facing the risks of rising average temperatures, increasing risk of heat waves, and intense precipitation events, as well as decreased annual average precipitation.

The energy sector in Albania is already confronting several challenges, including frequent power cuts, existing energy assets in need of rehabilitation, new assets being planned, as well as privatization.

To build greater understanding of potential risks and management options, the World Bank, together with the Government of Albania, conducted a workshop here on March 10, 2009 on climate risks and vulnerabilities in the country’s energy sector. The objective of this workshop is to undertake a hands-on, participatory vulnerability and adaptation assessment with involvement of government, private sector, scientific community and NGOs. A second workshop will follow in April 2009 to consider adaptation options, their costs, and benefits.

World Bank Country Manager for Albania Camille Nuamah, commented “There are opportunities to build in resilience for climate change when planning and designing new energy infrastructure. I am glad to be able to bring World Bank experience and that of our consultants, Acclimatise and Worley Parsons, to help Albania plan better for the future.”

Albania’s First National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2002) highlighted some key vulnerabilities of the energy sector, including effects on energy demand for space heating, space cooling, water heating, and refrigeration. It estimated that rising temperatures could lead to a 12-16% reduction in energy demand for residential heating by 2025, compared to the 1990 baseline while demand for cooling is projected to increase in hotter summers. But energy demand drivers are not limited to temperature, with precipitation, wind speed, and cloud cover also being important factors. Since a large portion of Albania’s energy is generated by hydropower, energy supplies remain vulnerable to projected decreases in precipitation.

“By analyzing the areas of the energy sector where Albania might be at risk from climate change, we can identify and more quickly implement solutions, especially “no-regrets” solutions, that mitigate that risk,” said ESMAP Senior Energy Specialist Jane Ebinger. “The knowledge gained from these activities can also be shared globally so that we can all coordinate our efforts to reducing the economic risk of climate change.”

The workshop series is supported by grant funding from the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), a global knowledge and technical assistance partnership administered by the World Bank to secure energy requirements for equitable economic growth and poverty reduction in an environmentally sustainable way – and from the Trust Fund for Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development, which provides grant resources for World Bank activities aimed at mainstreaming the environmental, social, and poverty reducing dimensions of sustainable development into World Bank work.

For more information on the World Bank’s activities in Albania, please visit www.worldbank.org.al

For more information on the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, please visit www.esmap.org.

For more information on the Trust Fund for Environmentally & Socially Sustainable Development, please visit www.worldbank.org/tfessd.

EBRD, EIB and World Bank Group join forces to support Eastern Europe

2009-02-27T09:00:00.000Z

For EBRD:

Anthony Williams

Tel: +44 20 7338 6997

Email: WilliamA@ebrd.com

For EIB:

Gill Tudor

Tel: +352 43 79 8 31 53

Email: g.tudor@eib.org

For World Bank Group:

Lotte Pang

Tel: +12027584290

Email: LPang@ifc.org

Washington, 27 February 2009 - The largest multilateral investors and lenders in Eastern Europe - the EBRD, the EIB Group, and the World Bank Group - have pledged to provide up to €24.5 billion to support the banking sectors in the region and to fund lending to businesses hit by the global economic crisis.

This initiative complements national crisis responses and will deploy rapid, large-scale and coordinated financial assistance from the International Financial Institutions to support lending to the real economy through private banking groups, in particular to small and medium-sized enterprises. The financial support will include equity and debt finance, credit lines, and political risk insurance.

The response takes into account the different macroeconomic circumstances in and financial pressures on countries in Eastern Europe, acknowledging the diversity of challenges stemming from the global financial retrenchment.

EBRD President Thomas Mirow said: "The institutions are working together to find practical, efficient and timely solutions to the crisis in eastern Europe. We are acting because we have a special responsibility for the region and because it makes economic sense. For many years the growing integration of Europe has been a source of prosperity and mutual benefit and we must not allow this process to be reversed.”

“This joint action plan will help speed up the delivery of vital finance through the banks to support the real economy of hard-hit countries in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, and particularly to help small businesses survive in these turbulent times,” said EIB President Philippe Maystadt.

“This is a time for Europe to come together to ensure that the achievements of the last 20 years are not lost because of an economic crisis that is rapidly turning into a human crisis,” said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. “I welcome the close cooperation among the EBRD, the EIB and the World Bank Group, and am committed to making this partnership work as we move forward to address the risk of a crisis of the banking sector in Eastern Europe.”

Under the two-year plan:

The EBRD will provide up to €6 billion for the financial sector in 2009-10 in the form of equity and debt finance, to banks and directly to SMEs, and trade finance.
The EIB will provide some €11 billion in SME lending facilities in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, of which €5.7 billion is already available for rapid disbursement, with a further €2.8 billion set for approval by end-April and further tranches expected to follow. The EIF, the EIB Group's venture capital and SME guarantee arm, is also aiming to increase its activity in the region over the next two years.
The World Bank Group will provide support of about €7.5 billion:
- IFC, through its crisis response initiatives in sectors including banking, infrastructure, and trade as well as through its traditional investment and advisory services, is expected to contribute up to €2 billion;
- IBRD intends to increased lending in Europe and Central Asia up to €16 billion in 2009-10 out of which up to €3.5 billion is envisaged for addressing banking sector issues in emerging Europe;
- MIGA will provide political risk insurance capacity of up to €2 billion for bank lending, subject to Board approval.

The response to Europe’s integrated financial markets requires fast and coordinated action; from parent banks, which own a large part of the region’s financial sectors; from systemically important local banks; from home and host country authorities of cross-border banking groups and from the European institutions and the IFIs.

By jointly addressing urgent financing needs, the three institutions in this initiative are drawing on their own mandates and specific capabilities to provide financial support.

The initiative goes beyond the pure provision of finance by engaging all parties concerned to seek appropriate solutions to the problems caused by the global economic crisis.

The IFI initiative has been developed in the broader context of the support that is being provided by parent banks to their subsidiaries in Eastern Europe, to provide capital where needed and maintaining adequate funding levels.

The IFIs welcome the support that that has already been provided to some countries by IMF programmes that have had a clear stabilizing impact and have helped to raise confidence.

The IFIs believe firmly that coordinated action among the IFIs, the bank groups, governments across Europe and the European institutions will help the financial sector in the region emerge robustly from the current crisis.

For the communique by The European Bank For Reconstruction And Development, The European Investment Bank Group, and The World Bank Group please click here

Albania - Second Programmatic Development Policy Operation Project

2009-02-27T05:00:00.000Z

Albania Programmatic Poverty Assessment Wins Award at World Bank “Improving the Lives of People in Europe and Central Asia” 2009 Event

2009-02-18T10:00:00.000Z

WASHINGTON, February 18, 2009 – The Albania Programmatic Poverty Assessment was named one of 13 winners Wednesday in the World Bank’s “Improving the Lives of People in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) 2009 – A Celebration of Learning and Innovation” competition.

“The joint work that the World Bank has done with INSTAT, and with local and diaspora researchers, under this programmatic poverty assessment has been very important in building Albanian capacities for undertaking a sustainable and successful household survey program” said Camille Nuamah, Country Manager of World Bank Office in Albania. “The valuable data collected through these surveys has been extremely important in improving our understanding of the nature of poverty in Albania and helping to design better policies for reaching and supporting poor households, said Nuamah.”

The main goal of the World Bank’s Albania programmatic poverty program was to help Albania to (a) establish a high-quality survey system, consisting of a core household survey with sufficient information to effectively inform policy makers; (b) to undertake regular and credible country-driven poverty diagnostics; (c) to support evidence-based policy making; and (d) to identify and address emerging questions about poverty and household welfare in Albania through new analytic work. This work involved close collaboration between Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), the Department of Strategy and Donor Coordination (DSDC), and other line ministries to ensure that the findings of the analysis were integrated into the ongoing NSDI planning and progress reports. The programmatic poverty work benefitted enormously from multi-year financial support from the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) and has spurred other donors like United National Development Programme (UNDP) to add their support in recent years.

“The ongoing global financial and economic crisis has affected all countries in the Europe and Central Asia Region in one way or another,” said Shigeo Katsu, Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, who handed out the awards at an event at the Bank’s Washington headquarters. “But these programs and projects that we have recognized today show how sustainable effort, innovation, and follow-up help produce concrete results that improve the daily lives of people in the Region. They also show what countries can achieve through a continuous partnership with the World Bank,” said Katsu.

The two-day “Improving the Lives of People in ECA” learning event, February 18 – 19, with the participation of external participants, aims to share knowledge, experiences, and information among World Bank staff and its counterparts. The event will showcase the cutting-edge work the World Bank is doing in the Europe and Central Asia countries.

The 13 winning submissions fit into four strategic pillars: International Development Association (IDA) at Work, Making a Difference in Middle-Income Countries, Addressing Global Challenges, and Innovation through Knowledge and Learning.

The winners of this year’s competition are:

IDA at Work:
Armenia Poverty Reduction Support Credit Series
Georgia Municipal Development and Decentralization Project II
Moldova Energy II Project
Moldova Social Investment Fund II Project

Making a Difference in Middle-Income Countries:
Montenegro Education Reform Project
Romania Rural Development Project
Turkey Overall Energy Program

Addressing Global Challenges:
Russian Federation Tuberculosis and AIDS Control Project

Innovation through Knowledge and Learning:
Albania Programmatic Poverty Assessment
Russian Federation Economic Reports (RER)
Russian Federation Higher Education in Tatarstan Fee-Based Technical Assistance
Russian Federation Preschool Education and Early Childhood Development in Khanty Mansiysk Fee-Based Technical Assistance
Serbia Programmatic Poverty Assistance

The first annual celebration of results in the World Bank Europe and Central Asia Region took place in April 2008.

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For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org/eca/results
to view winning submissions’ profiles, videos, and slideshows
For Albania Country Office please visit:
Albania - Urban growth, migration and poverty reduction : a poverty assessment
and
1st Annual Albania – World Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE)

The project Albania MD Capacity Building & Support to Implement the Integrated Planning System is now in the pipeline.

2009-01-22T05:00:00.000Z

The project Albania MD Capacity Building & Support to Implement the Integrated Planning System is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Social Service Delivery Project Additional Financing is now in the pipeline.

2009-01-18T05:00:00.000Z

The project Social Service Delivery Project Additional Financing is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Albania - Second Programmatic Development Policy Operation Project

2009-01-16T05:00:00.000Z

The project DPL II is now in the pipeline.

2009-01-14T05:00:00.000Z

The project DPL II is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Social transfers, labor supply and poverty reduction : the case of Albania

2008-11-18T05:00:00.000Z

In 1993, in response to persistent unemployment, and rising poverty and social unrest, the government of Albania introduced an anti-poverty program, namely Ndihma Ekonomike; in 1995 it was extended to all poor households. This paper estimates the separate effects of participation in this income support program and the old-age pension program on objective and subjective measures of household poverty. The analysis uses the nationally representative Albanian Living Standards Measurement Surveys carried out in 2002 and 2005. Using propensity score matching methods, the paper finds that Ndihma Ekonomike households, particularly urban residents, have lower per capita consumption and are more likely to be discontented with their lives, financial situation, and consumption levels than their matched comparators. In contrast, households receiving pensions are not significantly different from their matched comparators in reference to the same set of outcomes. The paper finds that the negative impact of Ndihma Ekonomike participation on welfare is driven by a negative labor supply response among work-eligible individuals. This negative labor response is larger among women and urban residents. In contrast to Ndihma Ekonomike, the receipt of old-age pension income transfers does not significantly impact the labor supply of prime-age individuals living in pension households

The project Albania Catastrophe Deferred Draw-Down Option is now in the pipeline.

2008-11-11T05:00:00.000Z

The project Albania Catastrophe Deferred Draw-Down Option is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Albania - Catastrophe Deferred Draw-Down Option Project

2008-11-10T05:00:00.000Z

The project Community Works 2 Project has changed to Closed

2008-10-01T04:00:00.000Z

The project Community Works 2 Project has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Second Community Works Project (CWP Il) for Albania is to alleviate local bottlenecks hindering development (including infrastructure and services) through processes of participatory local development as a result of (a) improving access to quality social and economic infrastructure and social services through sustainable micro-projects, and (b) promoting institutional development at the local level. There are three components to the project. 1) This component will finance an estimated 200 sub-projects aimed at improving local communities' infrastructure. Sub-projects will cover both rural areas (about 120) and suburban areas (about 80). Eligible sub-projects, which will be based on the priorities of communities, will include rural and suburban roads, water supply, sewerage, lighting, pedestrian and rural bridges, market-places, buildings (e.g., health centers, schools, day care facilities, cultural centers), and parks. 2) This component will finance training and technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of local government, communities, and Albanian Development Fund (ADF) staff. It will include three programs: capacity building for ADF staff; local government and community capacity building, and a participation pilot program. The pilot program will introduce methods of participatory planning and participatory monitoring and evaluation. It is expected that this program would subsequently be rolled out to other parts of the country. 3) This component will support the implementation of the Community Works Project (CWP) by ADF by financing a portion of ADF's operating costs (maintenance and operation of equipment procured or used under the project; salaries paid to ADF staff, other than civil servants' salaries, hired for purposes of the project; and consumable office supplies, communications, fuel, travel and per diem allowances).

The project Energy Community of South East Europe APL Program - APL 5 for Albania DAM SAFETY has changed to Active

2008-07-06T04:00:00.000Z

The project Energy Community of South East Europe APL Program - APL 5 for Albania DAM SAFETY has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The development objectives of Energy Community of South East Europe Adaptable Program Loan (APL) Program - Fifth APL for Albania Dam Safety Project are to: (i) contribute to safe guarding the major hydroelectric plants of Albania; and (ii) improve their operational efficiency and enhance the stability of power supply for the regional electricity market. The project's main impact will be to prevent a possible catastrophe resulting from a dam failure. Such a catastrophe can result in significant loss of life and damage to property of persons living in downstream areas. It will also cause a major and prolonged fall in hydropower production that will severely affect the entire population of Albania and will likely significantly increase electricity prices in the whole South East Europe (SEE) region. Poor and vulnerable people in the region will likely suffer disproportionately from any such electricity price increases. The project consists of two main components: (1) physical infrastructure investments; and (2) technical assistance. Physical infrastructure investments include: (i) the specification and implementation of water alarm systems in the Drin and Mat River basins, and specification of an Emergency Action Plan; (ii) rehabilitation of spillways on Fierza, Koman and Vau i Dejes dams on the Drin river; (iii) rehabilitation of electromechanical equipment in the Koman dam; and (iv) implementation of Load Frequency Control system in Vau i Dejes and Fierza Dams. The technical assistance component will finance: (i) hydrology studies and water management; (ii) implementation consultants; (iii) studies for new hydropower development; (iv) financial management systems capacity building; and (v) international panel of experts on safety of Dams.

The project Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Project has changed to Active

2008-06-24T04:00:00.000Z

The project Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Project has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Albania Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Project (AL-DRMAP) is to strengthen institutional capacities: (a) to reduce Albania's vulnerability to the natural and manmade hazards; and (b) to limit human, economic, and financial losses due to these disasters. There are five components to the project. The first component is the disaster risk management and preparedness. Its objective is to support capacity building for emergency response mechanism through provision of necessary equipment, and strengthening disaster risk mitigation planning. The second component is the strengthening of hydro meteorological services. Its objective is to support disaster risk reduction through provision of accurate hydro meteorological forecasts and services tailored to the needs of disaster risk managers in weather-sensitive sectors. The third component is the development of building. Its objective is to reduce risks from seismic activities through development of improved building codes and mechanisms for introduction of improved standards. The fourth component is the catastrophe insurance. Its objective is providing access to private catastrophe risk insurance to households and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The fifth component is the project management. Its will finance some project management costs, such as procurement and financial management consultants, monitoring and evaluation activities, and incremental operating costs of managing the project and project reporting and audits.

The project SECONDARY AND LOCAL ROADS has changed to Active

2008-06-05T04:00:00.000Z

The project SECONDARY AND LOCAL ROADS has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Secondary and Local Roads Project for Albania is to improve access to essential services and economic markets, via the provision of all weather roads, for the resident population in the hinterland of the project roads. There are three components to the project. The first component is the civil works associated with the improvement of priority sections of the secondary. It will finance the civil works associated with improving selected priority sections of the secondary (regional) road network. Given the noted poor condition of this network, the interventions under this component are expected to be either rehabilitation or reconstruction. The second component is the civil works associated with the improvement of priority sections of the local (commune) road network. Finally, the third component is the implementation and institutional support. It will finance the provision of technical support, goods (including vehicles, computers, air conditioning units, a generator, and office furniture), training, study tours, conferences and the financing of operational costs to assist the project implementing entity in the implementation of the project, specifically for: (i) the selection and employment of consultants services to supervise the civil works and improve the design for the duration of the project; (ii) the selection and employment of a technical assistant with a strong background in highway engineering for the duration of the project; (iii) training of the project implementing entity staff responsible for project implementation; (iv) the carrying out of a review of the functional classification for all levels of roads; and (v) an inventory of the core secondary and local road network.

The project Energy Community of South East Europe APL Program - APL 5 for Albania DAM SAFETY is now in the pipeline.

2008-05-16T04:00:00.000Z

The project Energy Community of South East Europe APL Program - APL 5 for Albania DAM SAFETY is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Agriculture Services Project has changed to Closed

2008-04-02T04:00:00.000Z

The project Agriculture Services Project has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The Agriculture Services Project aims to create an environment conducive for rural income growth by addressing key constraints faced by Albania's emerging small-holder farmers in agricultural production, trade, and the functioning of land markets. The project comprises five components. 1) The seed market development component will ensure farmer access to a full range of seed technology and to foster establishment and development of public and private seed-related institutions suitable for market economies. 2) The land market development component will support the physical and institutional development of the Immovable Property Registration System and a pilot Land Consolidation Project. 3) The market development component will support a variety of measures essential for the establishment and promotion of functioning market channels, marketing facilities, and export opportunities. 4) The community-based rural productivity and marketing improvement component will assist emerging smallholder farmers and other rural entrepreneurs to develop their businesses by improving their access to information and knowledge needed to improve productivity, diversify production, and add value to their products; and by exploiting market opportunities. This component will award small grants under a competitive grant program. 5) The project management component will establish a Project Management Unit to implement various project activities.

The project Albania Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Project is now in the pipeline.

2008-03-12T04:00:00.000Z

The project Albania Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Project is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Privatization Strategy Program Technical Assistance has changed to Closed

2008-02-16T05:00:00.000Z

The project Privatization Strategy Program Technical Assistance has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Development Policy Loan (DPL) has changed to Closed

2008-01-01T05:00:00.000Z

The project Development Policy Loan (DPL) has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

This Program Document presents the first in a series of three proposed programmatic Development Policy Operations (DPOs) to the Republic of Albania. The key objectives of the government program supported through a series of proposed DPOs follow directly from a government the program and the country assistance strategy (CAS) and are: improving the investment climate for private sector-led growth; improving fiscal sustainability of public service delivery; and improving government effectiveness, following the governance principles enumerated in the CAS. The operation is likely to contribute to higher order indicators, such as increased exports and private sector investment, sustainable growth, and reduced corruption (over a much longer time frame).

The project SECONDARY AND LOCAL ROADS is now in the pipeline.

2007-11-07T05:00:00.000Z

The project SECONDARY AND LOCAL ROADS is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project EA Assessment of Capacity Building needs to address the Priorities of the BSAP - Phase II (National Biological Diversity Strategy) is now in the pipeline.

2007-10-27T04:00:00.000Z

The project EA Assessment of Capacity Building needs to address the Priorities of the BSAP - Phase II (National Biological Diversity Strategy) is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database