The Delegation of Albanian Mayors, composed of Ms. Emiriana Sako, Mayor of Durrës, Ms. Majlinda Bufi, Mayor of Roskovec, Ms. Majlinda Cara, Mayor of Kurbin, Ms. Juliana Memaj, Mayor of Dimal, Mr. Kastriot Gurra and Ms. Adelina Farrici, Executive Director of the Albanian Municipalities Association, were welcomed today by their colleagues from the Municipality of West Hartford, Connecticut, at an experience exchange event organized by the National Association of Municipalities of Albania.
In the context of territorial reform and the decentralization process as a process of transferring a number of governance competencies from central to local government, the need to exchange experiences of good practices with local government counterparts has arisen as a necessity for improving the services and performance of municipalities.
During the event, the Albanian delegation had the pleasure of meeting with Mayor Shari Cantor and Deputy Mayor Rick Ledwith, Irene Garneau, Director of the Department of Education in Early Childhood Education, John Phillips, Director of Public Works, and Katherine Bruns, Recycling Coordinator.
The event agenda was designed to address the following topics:
– Early Childhood Education, where the main points of discussion focused on:
• Methods for improving the quality of the sector through strengthening capacities and financial resources,
• Developing efficient planning mechanisms such as curricula, and
• Improving financial monitoring and accountability.
– Waste Management Services, where the discussion shifted to:
• Increasing the quality and improving public services provided by local governments, based on international standards and innovative methods.
• The need for efficiency in professional management, engineering, maintenance and control of the sector.
• How should the management sector be provided by private or public enterprises and shared responsibilities?
• How to develop local recycling and composting activities for:
a. Integrating policies and promoting composting and recycling activities at the local level.
b. Engaging the local community.
– Local Economic Development Policies for which the main topics of discussion were:
• Drafting strategic development plans and programs for local economic development.
• Creating and operating public markets and trade networks.
• Supporting business development through incentive activities.
• Organizing services in support of local economic development, such as information for businesses, promotional activities, making public assets available, etc.
• Providing financial grants to support small and medium-sized business activities, ensuring gender-balanced access.
• Incentives that were undertaken in the innovative field towards the concept of smart cities.
The culmination of this exchange experience was a field visit to Charter Oak School and the Department of Public Works to get a closer look at the example of good practices.
The National Association of Municipalities of Albania aims to enrich the portfolio of experience exchange activities with representatives of homologous local governments in support of Local Government in Albania by organizing such very fruitful visits on a continuous basis.