Government of Albania - UN Programme of Cooperation 2012-2016

104 Pages·2011·2.14 MB·English

by  Nynke Kuperus

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Government of Albania
And
United Nations

Programme of Cooperation 2012-2016
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Foreword by the Government of Albania
I
would like to express our heart-felt thanks to effort for addressing national priorities and
the United Nations in Albania for the challenges to be faced in the period of 2012-2016
continuous support given to my country. This in the fairest way possible, via a better focus and a
includes the policy dialogue as well as the technical harmonized use of means. Through this new
support to the reforms undertaken by the programme, twenty UN agencies will support
Government thereby providing a valuable national priorities and development challenges in
contribution to Albania’s progress towards the areas of governance the rule of law, economy
integration in the European structures. and environment, regional and local development
and inclusive social policies.
Our country has a positive experience in
implementing programmes and projects with the The programme provides a complete overview of
UN agencies in Albania. These programmes and the UN support to Albania and outlines the various
projects have made strategic use of the UN’s new managerial, monitoring and assessment
comparative advantage and played, in many cases, procedures that will considerably reduce
a significant role in development of the priority administrative costs. It boosts national ownership
sectors. and the possibility of the Government to identify
how the UN agencies support fulfillment of the
The Government does in particular appreciate the
national development priorities. Further promotion
vision introduced by the Delivering as One
of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, funding and
approach regarding the cooperation with the
sustainability of the Programme shall remain the
United Nations over the last five years, where
focus of our attention in the coming years.
Albania volunteered to be one of the pilot
countries for implementing the “One UN” initiative. To conclude, I would like to greet and also extend
Our current success is a witness of making the right my most sincere thanks to all the stakeholders,
choice; the new approach has led to enhanced which have provided a precious contribution to the
coherence and cooperation between the UN implementation of the previous programme and
agencies and the national authorities, ensuring full the formulation of the new Programme of
government ownership on the implementation of Cooperation 2012-2016. These stakeholders are:
this initiative.
- government institutions, civil society
Despite being a small country, over the course of a organizations and independent
5-year long mutual commitment to this reform, we institutions,
are proud to see that Albania has contributed to
- all the UN agencies taking part in the
the global reform agenda of the United Nations
programme, welcoming in particular the
and so influenced its operations throughout the
commitment of the six new agencies
world.
joining this Programme, and
The Government of Albania is resolute in further
- donor countries or potential donors who
promoting the ongoing reforms. The Government
see that this programme is a best reflection
of Albania and United Nations Programme of
of national development priorities of the
Cooperation 2012-2016 attests the irreversibility of
country that they also support. I would
this process. This programme is based on excellent
therefore encourage donors to contribute
experience and on the lessons learnt from the
to this programme, thereby furthering the
previous programme. It represents a two-fold
realization of Albania’s development
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Table of Contents
Foreword by the Government of Albania ....................................................................................................... 4
Foreword by the UN Resident Coordinator ..................................................................................................... 6
Signature Page ................................................................................................................................................. 8
I. Partnership, Values and Principles ........................................................................................................ 10
II. Situation Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 12
III. Past Cooperation and Lessons Learned ................................................................................................. 14
IV. Programme Actions and Implementation Strategies ............................................................................ 16
Governance and Rule of Law ................................................................................................................. 16
Economy and environment ................................................................................................................... 17
Regional and local development ........................................................................................................... 18
Inclusive social policy ............................................................................................................................. 19
V. Programme Management and Responsibilities .................................................................................... 22
Results based management .................................................................................................................. 22
Coherence and simplification ................................................................................................................ 25
Harmonized approach to cash transfers ............................................................................................... 27
VI. Resources and Resource Mobilization Strategy .................................................................................... 29
Resource mobilization strategy ............................................................................................................. 30
UN Coherence Fund .............................................................................................................................. 30
VII. Communication ..................................................................................................................................... 32
VIII. Monitoring and Evaluation .................................................................................................................... 33
Monitoring ............................................................................................................................................. 33
Evaluation .............................................................................................................................................. 34
Knowledge management....................................................................................................................... 35
IX. Additional Commitments of the Government ....................................................................................... 36
X. Other Provisions .................................................................................................................................... 38
Annex A: Results Framework ......................................................................................................................... 39
Annex B: Integrated Resources Framework .................................................................................................. 85
Annex C: Overview Agreements between UN Agencies and the Government of Albania ......................... 101
Annex D: Acronyms and Abbreviations ....................................................................................................... 102

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I. Partnership, Values and Principles
T
he Government of Albania - UN The Programme of Cooperation 2012-2016
Programme of Cooperation 2012- articulates the exact UN contribution to the
2016 (“the Programme of Cooperation achievement of the eleven outcomes, by
2012-2016”) operationalizes the identifying clearly defined outputs. The results
programme presented in the UN Common framework (see Annex A) presents the
Country Programme Document for Albania, remaining elements of the respective results
2012-2016 and provides a legal framework for chains that follow these outcomes; specifying
its implementation as well as additional the outputs for each outcome, including a set
information on matters such as partnership of indicators for each output, as well as a list
strategies, management arrangements, of UN agencies1 and national partners that are
monitoring and evaluation and resource going to be jointly responsible for achieving
mobilization. one or more output.
The strategic direction and eleven outcomes of Agreement on each of these results chains
the overarching Common Country Programme followed a comprehensive, participatory
Document 2012-2016, were defined during a process that included a number of consultation
Strategic Prioritization Retreat, which was rounds in the first half of 2011.
followed by an intensive period of Representatives of all 20 participating
consultations with line ministries, civil society organizations, including the International
and development partners. Subsequently, the Organization for Migration and 19 resident
draft programme was presented to the and non-resident funds, programmes,
Government Modernization Committee, which specialized agencies, organizations and entities
confirmed that the strategic direction is well of the United Nations, discussed the content
aligned with the National Strategy for and formulation of each output with relevant
Development and Integration 2007-2013 and line ministries, civil society and donors.
that it reflects national development priorities Quality assurance measures such as those
and international commitments, along with offered by the Peer Support Group of the
United Nations norms and standards. Regional Director‟s Team have further
enhanced the quality of the overall framework.
At the request of the Government, the new
In addition, the results framework benefitted
programme continues to expand and deepen
from the review conducted by a gender expert,
the Delivering as One approach of the United
who ensured that the needs, wants and
Nations. The Executive Boards of
ambitions of Albanian men and women are
UNDP/UNFPA and UNICEF took note of the
adequately reflected in the programme.
Common Country Programme Document in
Following the above, the results framework
June 2011 and approved the final common
articulates a consistent programming logic that
country programme document for Albania in
is reinforced by a monitoring and reporting
September 2011, which prompted the start of
system that requires mid-year and annual
the formulation of the Programme of
reviews of performance. Opportunity for
Cooperation 2012-2016. Where applicable,

participating UN Agencies remain governed
1 For the purpose of this document, the term ‘UN
by their bilateral agreements with the
agencies’ refers to the 19 UN Agencies, Funds and
Government of Albania, an overview of these
Programmes, plus the International Organisation
agreements is provided in Annex C. for Migration, participating to the Programme of
Cooperation 2012 - 2016.
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