EcoNord Project: A Success Story in Environment Protection and Supporting Local-Level Civil Initiatives

On 23 February, the closing ceremony of the "Leveraging the Capacities of Civil Society in North Albania for the Improvement of Biodiversity and Environmental Protection—EcoNord" Project was organized. The Project successfully completed its objectives of strengthening the administrative, financial, and technical capacities of 27 CSOs through coaching, "learn by doing" approaches, and networking. The event was attended by Mrs. Enkelejda Bregu, Project Manager at the EU Delegation in Albania; Mrs. Almira Xhembulla, Member of Parliament and of the Parliamentary Commission for Social Issues; Mr. Arian Palluqi, Director of the Fisheries Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; and Mr. Myftar Doci, Executive Director of ANTTARC. Representatives from the Protected Areas Agencies of Lezhe and Shkoder, the Regional Environmental Center, and WWF Adria were also present.

The ceremony was opened by Mrs. Lindita Manga, Executive Director of the Albanian Local Capacity Development Foundation (ALCDF), which implemented the EcoNord Project. She highlighted the main areas of intervention: concrete steps to combat erosion, illegal hunting, and forest degradation; contemporary methods to protect endangered endemic species; and measures to minimize ecological damage caused by flooding. The 27 CSO representatives displayed their project outputs at a fair organized for the event and reviewed project results, sustainability, and the importance of further networking and collaboration.

Financed by the EU, the EcoNord Project began in December 2014 and focused on leveraging local civil society capacities to improve biodiversity and environmental protection in northern Albania. The Project successfully implemented 27 local CSO initiatives, which will continue their active role in promoting environmental protection and biodiversity under a broader initiative encouraging civil society participation in policy development that supports Albania's obligations under the Stabilization and Association Agreement.

Mrs. Bregu stated: "The environmental chapter is one of the most important for Albania's accession negotiations with the EU. The EcoNord Forum must encourage community initiatives with the help of EU desks present in each municipality. Gender equality and youth promotion should also be a focus of CSOs." She added that EU integration respects each country's individuality, emphasizing the promotion of natural and cultural heritage.

Mrs. Xhembulla stressed the importance of environmental preservation and promised to become an important voice in parliament for initiatives promoting biodiversity and environmental protection. Mr. Palluqi emphasized the importance of Albania's fishing sector and praised the Association of Fishing Management in Shkoder for successfully implementing measures for endangered species and their habitats in Shkodra Lake.

Supporting civil society capacities is a key EU priority in Albania. EcoNord proved to be a successful initiative in environmental protection, supporting local-level civil initiatives, networking, and encouraging their "watchdog" role through the EcoNord Forum—a new pathway to address important environmental issues in Albania.