The main objective of the Project was to contribute to the optimisation of use of available national and international financial resources - with a special emphasis on those made available under EU funded programmes - to support Albania's efforts towards economic and social reforms and national development.
Specific objectives of the Project purpose was to strengthen project cycle management (PCM) capacities of the GoA. More specifically, the Project aims at strengthening the MOECT’s capacities in following areas, i.e.:
1. Assistance to National Coordinator and Department of Programming and Aid co-ordination;
2. Support to Public Investment Programming;
3. Support to Monitoring and evaluation of external assistance programmes at the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation;
4. Support to Implementation of Phare programmes in the European Dimension areas at the PMU of European Dimension;
5. In the course of the Project assistance to Strengthen of Coordination of Stability Pact activities was added to project objectives and related activities.
The contract between Nethconsult and the European Commission was signed 9 November 99. A fact finding mission arrived in Albania 9 November 1999. Mr Geo Abbink, team leader, and Mr PierAntonio Bellogini, implementation manager, as well as Nethconsult's representative, Mr Marjo Lapidaire participated. The mission of Nethconsult coincided with a field visit of Ms Barbara Lücke, responsible for the management of the contract in operational terms on behalf of SCR.
However, the project activities only started in March 2000. These delays were a result of some unresolved discussion points between the Albanian authorities and the European Commission.
This Project was a continuation of the previous Phare technical assistance project to the MOECT. This project aimed at improving aid coordination and implementation, as well as investment programming. This project ended 12 November 1999.
As a result of these two Technical Assistance projects, the Project counterpart departments have realised considerable progress, in improving the levels and capacities of local staff as well as strengthening its institutional structures.