June 11, 2021
Cooperation and Development Institute (CDI) in cooperation with the Municipality of Tirana, organized on June 11, 2021, the first workshop in the framework of the project “Mainstreaming Migration – Local Authorities Network for Migration and Development”. This project is implemented by CDI in partnership with the International Organization for Migration, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and in collaboration with the Italian think tank CeSPI.
This project aims to exchange best practices in drafting local policies focusing on migration management between the Municipalities of Bologna, Milan and Tirana, as well as supporting the Municipality of Tirana in implementing new national legal competencies in this area.
The workshop on “Towards inter-institutional cooperation in the field of migration” kicked off with the welcoming notes by Ms. Krisela Hackaj, Executive Director at the Cooperation and Development Institute, and Ms. Arjeta Rudha, Director of the Economic Development Department of the Tirana Municipality.
In her remarks, Ms. Hackaj, highlighted that this workshop aims to initiate the dialogue between central and local institutions, and identify concrete steps that can be implemented by the Municipality of Tirana as a result of legal changes in this area.
The General Director for Strategic Projects and Economic Development in the Municipality of Tirana, Mr. Genci Kojdheli, stressed the importance of inter-institutional cooperation, but also the involvement of civil society organizations so that the Municipalities can design and successfully implement local policies in the framework of new legislative competencies in the field of migration and diaspora.
Mr. Ledjon Shahini, Expert at Cooperation and Development Institute, indicated that the purpose of this workshop was to open the debate about new competencies designated according to new legislation amendments regarding the management of migration in Albania.
The participants in this workshop were representatives of the key institutions and other actors involved in this project, such as the Ministry of Interior – Border Management Sector, representatives from the Ministry of State for Diaspora, as well as representatives from the National Youth Congress.
The representative from the Ministry of Interior, added that due to the latest legislative amendments related to the structures and competencies of the local governance led to the establishment of the specialized migration departments in the respective municipalities. However, the State Ministries should support these departments in the field of migration, starting with the returnees and their reintegration, continuing with the provision of specialized training programs and the offer of as much relevant information as possible.
The representative from the Minister of State for Diaspora, highlighted the fact that migration is a multidimensional subject and cannot be managed solely by one institution, and this is why inter-institutional cooperation is essential.
Likewise, the representative from the Ministry of Justice, highlighted the need for an increased local governance’s human resources that deal with migration and that training programs must be organized at the local level to better understand the competencies correlated with migration management, while a database to register the information about the returnees and provide the respective assistance (housing, social, economic assistance, etc.) should be created.
The representative from the National Youth Congress, reminded that Tirana is going to be the Youth Capital for 2022 and this gives the opportunity through the activities that will take place to provide opportunities for young people from the diaspora to reconnect with Albania and for returnees to better integrate.
Following this first workshop, CDI in cooperation with the Municipality of Tirana and experts in the field, will organize individual meetings with all institutions involved, in order to prepare a draft policy which will be discussed during the second workshop with all the representatives from the respective institutions.
The working language of this workshop was Albanian.
The agenda of the workshop can further be consulted here.
