AMBU 2019-2025 WRMA Albania

The project is being implemented according to plan and should be finalised by mid-November 2024. The consultant has delivered the majority of the expected outputs envisaged under the contract. One recurrent issue for discussion is how and to what extent AMBU is able to make use of the technical outputs and recommendations and translate it into change, meaning to achieve sustainable results at outcome and impact level. This has also been discussed in light of the Component 4 of the project, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), where the Consultant for long was not successful in introducing an effective MEL-system that can support and monitor change at higher results levels. However, during the last six-month period the Consultant was able to recruit a new MEL-expert and make significant progress in this area. Still, in the six-monthly report, there are inconsistencies in appliance of the results language. The introduction of the new water law in Albania, introduced with the aim to transpose and implement the water framework directive and associated EU-legislation, significantly increase and modify the responsibilities of AMBU, both in the their internal work and in their collaboration with other stakeholders, to be able to implement and reinforce the new legislation. This calls for a new internal structure of the AMBU organization and the news modes of collaboration with other institutions with roles and responsibilities related to the new water law. In response, the project has strengthened its focus on how to meet the obligations that follow from the new water law. Recently AMBU has also requested for a continuation of the project beyond its current ending in November 2024. A proposal, with the aim to extend the project with about 12 months is currently being developed in dialogue with the Sida Monitoring consultant.

The objective is to transform the the Albanian Water Resources Management Agency, WRMA (AMBU) into a fully functional, effective and efficient institution capable of fulfilling its legal functions and obligations. Concretely WRMA will develop a business plan/strategy for the coming 5 years and further develop work procedures, decision-making and communication structures as well as job descriptions. WRMA aims to strengthen its capacity to work with external stakeholders and decision-makers in order to have more impact and to strengthen cross-cutting issues like gender equality, conflict and climate change. A gender policy for recruitment, retention and promotion in line with performance and merits will be developed. Further WRMA plans to strengthen communication and engagement with key external stakeholders like the Prime Minister's Office, National Water Council, line ministries, local governments etc. The project aims to increase the the public's awareness about sustainable water use through information campaigns and enable the public's reporting of illegal activities which threaten water resources.