Today, on May 21st 2009, the Albanian Development Fund organized a meeting with representatives from 31 communes of Shkodra, Kukes and Diber Regions on the Rural Water Supply Program financed by KFW (German Bank for Reconstruction and Development). This Program of the Albanian Government aims at reconstructing about 40-50 rural water supply systems in the North of Albania with an overall cost estimated at 9.75 million euros. The construction of these water supplies will have a direct impact on the increase of the life quality and hygiene for 40.000-50.000 inhabitants living in these three regions.

Present at this meeting were the chairmen of the beneficiary communes, representatives of the KFW, ADF etc.

In the course of this meeting, a presentation was made on the program progress to date, on the evaluation criteria for the awarded projects and finally the communes which were going to be part of this program signed a preliminary commitment document.

In his speech, Mr. Benet Beci, ADF´s Executive Director underlined that the program in question is an application of the national governmental strategy on the provision with drinkable water,as well as a continuity of the ADF´s successful experiences in the improvement of the life quality for the local communities. This program represents at the same time, a continuous process in the ADF´s capacity building to carry out the rural water supply projects. Concerning the program herein, there is established a rural water supply management unit to run more effectively projects of this scope.

This progam is conceived to address the basic human needs which encompass clean hygienic running water, adequate living conditions and rural infrastructural facilities. The novelty of this program, which is in line with the ADF´s strategy and work methodology, is the investment in the accompanying measures for the water supply management and operation after the project completion. As a presiding rule, after the investment in the infrastructure concerning the public services, the object passes automatically under the responsibility of the local government, without considering the real capacities of the local governemnt in the water supply management and operation. On the one hand, this project, by means of the accompanying measures, foresees for the first time the identification of a management system at the local government and on the other hand it is going to draft the respective management and trade manuals, as well as that of the functioning&maintenance. All these efficient administration tools shall be accompanied by the relevant trainings for the public officials.

Upon ADF´s intervention, each water supply will be equipped with its own measuring, tariffs and income collecting system, as well as the functioning&maintence system.

The Albanian Development Fund is an implementing agency of the Albanian Government, which accomplishes its activity with the goal of encouraging and supporting the local government towards a sustainable development since 1993.

ADF is mainly specialized at the support and strengthening of the local governments, at community development through the rehabilitation of the primary infrastructure. Currently, ADF is implementing two other parallel programs entitled “Rehabilitation of the Secondary and Local Roads” with a co financing by the World Bank and other donors at an estimated cost of US$ 400 million. This project, through the rehabilitation of about 1500 km of road, has improved the rural infrastructure in the country and it has increased the access to basic services and markets. The project is extended throughout Albania.

Another project is "Community Works III" financed by CEB at an estimated cost of 14 million euros. This project is being focused on the encouragement of a sustainable social and economic development, on the improvement of communal infrastructure, on the strengthening of the governance at local level and last but not the least on the empowering of the community participation at governance. At present, there are 16 LGU-s which benefit from this project with programs on local development planning and assistance with infrastructure projects. The guaranteed and administered financing by ADF on development programs in the course of these last three years amount at 140 million $.