Albania

In 2002, Albania began implementing a long-term plan for growth, the National Strategy for Socioeconomic Development. Drafted with the assistance of The Carter Center, the plan helped establish democratic institutions and build economic growth in the country’s postcommunist era.

Impact

Facilitated unprecedented collaboration between the government, NGOs, and citizens
Organized town hall meetings across the country
Helped build a network to monitor implementation

Legacy

Peacebuilding

In 2000, the Albanian government and the World Bank asked the Carter Center’s Global Development Initiative to help develop and support a National Strategy for Socioeconomic Development.

Our Work and Methods

We facilitated unprecedented collaboration between the government, nongovernmental organizations, and citizens by:

Disseminating information and supporting public access to research
Strengthening the capacity of NGOs to analyze policy
Organizing town hall meetings across the country
Bringing government officials and NGOs together to form working groups and develop policies and strategies

Impacts

As the government implemented the strategy in 2002, we helped create a network for monitoring its implementation. This work included:

Training in monitoring and evaluation
Community outreach
Public forums with civil society, public officials, parliament members, and the business community
Production and submission of policy position papers
Mobilizing citizens to promote policy change
Sponsoring development cooperation forums

Through our Global Development Initiative, which was discontinued in 2006, we empowered Albania to create effective change and, in doing so, helped strengthen democracy.