The two-day training session entitled: "The Management and Administration of the FIDIC contracts" was held at the ADF's headquarters in Tirana from 20-21 July 2009. This training session is a constituent part of the Work Plan for the Implementation of the Programme on "The Rehabilitation of the Secondary and Local Roads in Albania", as it is foreseen that the works contracts shall comply with the FIDIC standards. FIDIC, the International Federation of Consulting Engineers, represents consulting engineers worlwide and is best known for its work in defining Conditions of Contracts for the construction industry worldwide.In this context, FIDIC organizes various training modules in order to introduce these Contract Conditions. Contracts compiled in pursuance of the FIDIC requirements are already being implemented in many Central and South-eastern European countries alongside English-speaking countries.These contracts display an international standard which is attained owing to the on-going efforts of this Federation. The programme selected for the training seminar included topics which are directly related to the works contracts being implemented by ADF within the framework of the "Secondary and Local Roads" Programme such as: contract documents, start of works, financial control, supervision, commisioning, handover and takeover of works, defects correction, termination and breach of contract.

Twenty-three specialists from the Infrastructure Department who are directly engaged with the implementation of the construction contracts in the framework of the "Reabilitation of the Secondary and Local Roads" Programme were trained at this seminar. The experience gained from this training course will influence on the increase of the management and administration capacities of the works contracts by the ADF's Department of Infrastructure for the ongoing and future projects too. The establishment of the international standards in the ADF's working procedures is and shall remain a priority of the medium-term strategy for the institution whose aim is to be avant-garde in addressing the development needs of the country. This seminar also contributed in establishing a good communication bridge between ADF and FIDIC which in the future will offer its support in organizing other relevant seminars and in updating the literature on construction engineering for the ADF staff.