On June 30, the Agency for the Support of Local Self-Government, with the support of Helveta Albania, held in Tirana the official launch event of the Matra G2G project “Towards democratic local governance: Albania and the Netherlands”, a bilateral initiative that aims to strengthen the capacities of local government in Albania, by increasing the quality of public service provision in an inclusive, transparent and accountable manner.

The meeting was opened by the Minister of State for Local Government, Mr. Arbjan Mazniku, and was held in the presence of representatives of national and international institutions, with the presence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Albania, representatives of MEKI, AKSHI, ASPA, SHKBSH, SHKQSH, representatives of the municipalities of Elbasan, Kavajë and Korçë, as well as international projects with a focus on local government.

The project aims to support the building of a democratic and functional society through strengthening local institutions and capacity building at the local level, with a focus on providing better services to citizens, especially women and the most vulnerable groups in society. In this context, the project will also contribute to the strengthening of the Training Academy of Local Self-Government Units of Albania (TALGA).

The implementation of the project will include training of trainers, the organization of 24 seminars in all municipalities of the country, as well as practical support in four pilot municipalities: Shkodër, Kavajë, Elbasan and Korçë. The main areas of focus of the intervention include digital governance, local economic development, integrity and the fight against corruption, as well as gender equality and social inclusion.

The project is implemented by a consortium consisting of The Hague Academy for Local Governance, Helvetas Albania and VNG International, with funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and will run until the end of 2028. It aims to foster sustainable improvements in local administration and increase citizens’ trust in public institutions.

Following the introductory event, the first meeting of the project Steering Committee was also held, during which the project objectives and work plan were presented.