Democratic Governance and Decentralization

Swiss Cooperation Office Kosovo Swiss Cooperation Programme in Kosovo List of ongoing projects February 2015 Democratic Governance and Decentralizat...
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Swiss Cooperation Office Kosovo

Swiss Cooperation Programme in Kosovo List of ongoing projects February 2015

Democratic Governance and Decentralization Decentralization and Municipal Support (DEMOS) Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agency Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

Inception phase: January 2014 – June 2014 Main implementation phase: July 2014 to December 2017 CHF 12,500,000 SDC Association of Kosovar Municipalities (AKM) Ministry of Local Governance Administration (MLGA) Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, AKM

DEMOS supports Kosovo in its transition process towards a democratic, decentralised state in which municipalities exercise socially inclusive governance and provide effective services responding to citizens’ priorities and needs. The DEMOS component 1) intervenes at the horizontal level through direct support to 17 partner municipalities in Kosovo. Within its component 2) the project supports the Association of Kosovo Municipalities (AKM) with on budget core funding aiming to enable the AKM to successfully carry out its core mandate: advocacy and lobbying at central level on behalf of municipal authorities and serve as an effective platform for networking, training and exchange. The component 3) intervenes at the vertical level by fostering a conducive framework for decentralisation through support to relevant actors of the central government.

Support to the Kosovo Property Agency (KPA) Phase V Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Partners Implementer / Consultant

May 2011 – December 2014 CHF 2,498,000 SDC, Government of Kosovo, Norway, Sweden, USA, UK Kosovo Property Agency, Eulex Kosovo Property Agency

Clear and undisputed property titles play a fundamental role in the recovery from conflict in Kosovo. Therefore, the Kosovo Property Agency (KPA) was established in 2006 with the mandate to resolve private immovable property claims arising out of the 1999 conflict, including disputes over agricultural and commercial property. The Government of Switzerland has as well supported the predecessor of KPA, the Housing and Property Directorate, which had the mandate to resolve residential property claims. In addition to the resolution of claims by case processing, the KPA ensures the effective implementation of final decisions.

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Establishment of a Notary System in Kosovo Phase III Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

March 2012 – June 2015 CHF 1,000,000 SDC Ministry of Justice Institut des Hautes Etudes Notariales (IHN, Lausanne)

The project contributes to the consolidation of the judicial system in Kosovo by supporting the development and the implementation of an operational notary system. Technical inputs will be provided in drafting the secondary legislation and harmonizing other legal provisions. The project will further facilitate the set-up of the Kosovo chamber of notaries and a training system for notaries. It will lead to a more effective and efficient legal system, considering the courts shall be relieved of the majority of noncontentious cases and thus citizens will have better access to justice.

Support to the Population and Housing Census 2011 and Agricultural Census 2013 Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Implementation partners

January 2011 – December 2015 CHF 1,825,000 SDC, Ministry of Public Administration, European Union Office in Kosovo, DFID, SIDA; Luxembourg, Denmark Kosovo Statistical Agency (KAS), UNOPS

The Population and Housing Census (PHC) was held in April 2011 and is intended to provide a wide range of reliable statistical data (demographic, socio-economic, gender, ethnic, education, occupation, etc.) that are totally missing in Kosovo. It will give a sound basis to government, donors and civil society for policy formulation, implementation and monitoring of programme, which is crucial for development of a multiethnic and democratic state. The census will be implemented directly by the Kosovo Statistical Agency (KAS). In 2013 KAS implemented the Agricultural Census. Financial resources are channeled through a Multi Donor Trust Fund, managed by UNOPS, in order to ensure transparency, efficiency and best-value for money.

Democratic Society Promotion (DSP) Phase II Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project partners Implementation partners

July 2014 – June 2018 CHF 4,800,000 SDC Civil society organizations, academic and research institutions, etc. Kosovo Civil Society Foundation (KCSF)

The democratic development of any country must include - besides institution building – support to an active citizenry to demand transparent, accountable and inclusive governance. The project aims at supporting projects, initiatives or activities arising from civil society with a potential to contribute to significant changes in society at national, regional and local level. DSP represents a source of funding for civic initiatives that advance democracy and social inclusion in Kosovo, through promotion of civic participation, ethnic cohesion, gender equality and diaspora participation. The project utilizes the following modalities: i) Institutional Grants, ii) Project Grants, iii) Ad-hoc/Urgent Grants; iv) Calls for Implementation and v) Awards.

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Support to Anti-Corruption Efforts in Kosovo (SAEK) Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

September 2012 – April 2016 CHF 2,601,138 SDC Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency, Kosovo Judicial Council, BIRN/IKS, etc; UNDP

SAEK contributes to reducing the level of corruption in Kosovo, by developing capacities of Kosovo institutions to perform in an efficient, transparent, and accountable and gender sensitive manner and strengthening monitoring and oversight mechanisms. The overall programme design encompasses four components identifying complementary entry points for fighting corruption: executive branch (component 1), civil society (component 2), judiciary (component 3), and public administration (component 4).

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Economy and Employment Enhancing Youth Employment (EYE) Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agency Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

August 2010 – December 2016 CHF 8,045,000 SDC Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Consortium between Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation-HSI and Management Development Associates MDA

In order to improve the market opportunities for young Kosovar women and men, the EYE program facilitates a matching of demand and supply sides of the labour market. It will contribute to availability of adequate training and education to meet the requirements of the private sector. The job seekers are enabled to access vacant positions and make informed decisions about their career paths. Furthermore, the EYE project promotes focused private sector investments in relevant subsectors that lead to growth of employment opportunities for young people. The approach taken by the project aims to bring about changes in matching demand and supply leading to large-scale and sustainable impact on the target group. The target group for the EYE project are young women and men, ranging at the age of 14-30, who finish educational training in Kosovo and are actively pursuing work. By addressing the main causes of the weak labour market outcomes, the project aims to facilitate the creation of employment opportunities for 27’000 youngsters from all ethnic communities living in Kosovo. Contribution to the Kosovo SME Promotion Program (KOSME) Phase I: Swiss Commitment Financing Agency Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

October 2012 – September 2015 CHF 1,293,250 SDC, Austrian Development Agency, Ministry of Trade and Industry SME Support Agency, Economic Initiative in Kosovo (ECIKS) Economic Initiative in Kosovo (ECIKS), KMU Forschung Austria

One of the priority support areas of the Swiss cooperation program for Kosovo is youth employment. The SME sector in Kosovo is currently one of the biggest employers contributing 62 % to the total employment; its further potentials for generating jobs are hindered by the barriers such as; weak administration, unreliable electricity supply, deficient rule of law, low productivity, lack of know‐how and limited access to finance. This project addresses some of the main barriers stated above. With an overall aim of Contributing to job creation and promote market-oriented private sector development in Kosovo; foster global competitiveness of Kosovo’s SMEs in line with sustainable development principles. Support to International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM) Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

February 2014 – December 2015 CHF 1,250,000 SDC Stiftung SPARK IBCM

The project aims to improve employability through study programs with a heavy focus on practice and skills as well as facilitate graduates to start their own enterprises;also to create a sustainable, genuinely inclusive higher vocational institution, producing young professional civil servants and business leaders in the Mitrovica region ready to work in multi-ethnic teams; To provide modern curricula in doing business with the EU and training (future and existing) civil servants in EU Integration.

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Promoting Private Sector Employment (PPSE) Phase I (inception phase) Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

October 2013 – November 2017 CHF 7,130,000 SDC Ministry of Trade and Industry Swisscontact, PEM, Riinvest

The goal of the PPSE programme is to support the SMEs to operate in a competitive and well-organized economic sectors (selected as focus by the project), where public policies better match private sector needs, provide increased sustainable gainful employment for women and men in Kosovo. Special consideration will be given to the employment opportunities for youth and women. The project is working through the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach that targets the necessary changes in the market systems to increase growth in the selected sectors . It will focus on enhancing the diversity of products and services, of higher quality, and access to new markets for enterprises in tourism and food processing. It will specifically address the governance issues related to private sector development and women economic empowerment, in this regard it will work towards the reduction of barriers for women to access sustainable gainful employment and increase their decision making power.

Investment Climate Project (ICP) Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

July 2013 – June 2017 USD 2,200,000 SECO Ministry of Trade and Industry, Kosovo Prime Minister’s Office International Finance Cooperation IFC

The IFC Investment Climate project aims at stimulating Kosovo’s economic performance by way of reducing regulatory red tape, boosting the country’s competitiveness at large, and facilitating private investment activities. The project has three main components; Component 1-Business enabling environment reform, will address regulatory bottlenecks and aims at reducing the cost of doing business in Kosovo Component 2–Investment Facilitation, will assists Kosovo in strengthening its capacity to create and manage the policy and institutional framework for attracting, retaining and developing a climate for foreign investment in which FDI can thrive. Component 3–Agribusiness support activities; will specifically target the business environment for the agribusiness sector. It will support the Government of Kosovo in addressing regulatory constraints while increasing the investment potential in the agribusiness sector.

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SECO regional projects Budget (CHF) Project IMF Regional Tax Administration Project for South East Europe (2010-2015)  Strengthening the capacity of tax administrations in selected SEE countries (Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina) Strengthening Accountability and Fiduciary Environment (SAFE Trust Fund) (2009-2015)  Strengthen accountability and fiduciary environment in public finance management in the ECA region Corporate Governance in Europe and Central Asia (2012-2015)  Strengthens capacities and transfer knowledge in the field of corporate governance, to the selected local partner institutions in countries and ECA regions (Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia). SECO Start-up Fund (1997-2014)  Provides credit for Swiss start-up investments in Partner countries Projects in Kosovo:  Agro Collection Center  Wood briquettes & pellets  Rosconi

Partners CHF 7.5 million for Western Balkans countries

Ministries of Finance, tax administrations

Implementation: IMF USD 2 million for all countries

Ministries of Finance in partner countries Implementation: World Bank

CHF 3.7 million for selected ECA countries

Chamber of Commerce, Stock Exchange, Universities

Implementation: International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Total SSF loan amount, CHF 670‘000 Total investments mobilized CHF 1.9 Mio

Private Investors

Implementation: FINANCE contact, Zurich

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Water and Sanitation Rural Water and Sanitation Support Programme V Phase V Swiss Commitment Project Partners

Implementer / Consultant

January 2014 – December 2017 CHF 14,000,000 Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Ministry of Economic Development, Regional Water Companies, 38 Kosovo Municipalities and respective villages JV Dorsch/Community Development Initiatives, SKAT Ltd

The programme contributes to increased access of Kosovo’s population to proper water supply and sanitation and to a sustainable country-wide water and sanitation services management. The expected impact is the expansion of water supply coverage to the majority of the rural population (80% and beyond), improved sustainability of water and sanitation services and enhanced sector coordination.

Kosovo Water Task Force II (Inter-Ministerial Water Council) Phase II Swiss Commitment Financing Agency Project Partners

Implementers / Consultant

December 2013 – December 2017 CHF 1,00,000 SECO Office of Prime Minister, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Local Governance Administration, Ministry of European Integration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Baton Begolli - Water Policy Advisor; Afrim Lajqi – Water Services Advisor

The project aims the institutionalization of the Water Task Force into the Inter-Ministerial Water Council (IMWC) of Kosovo. This phase will ensure the overall coordination of water sector development in the country, whilst establishing and enforcing a contemporary, comprehensive and conducive and legal, policy, strategy and regulatory framework for the sector. Over the coming two to four years, the IMWC is expected to be in a position to fully assume its function and to assist addressing and solving the current core systemic problems of the water sector. Gjakova Waste Water Treatment Plant Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agency Project Partners

January 2014 – December 2019 EURO 8,000,000 SECO Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economic Development (MED), Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, RWC “Radoniqi , Municipality of Gjakovaj

Implementers / Consultant

To be selected

The overall objectives of the project are the protection of surface and underground water resources and the improvement of the living conditions of the population in Gjakova and in the downstream localities. The main outcome is to establish reliable and hygienic water sanitation systems at cost-recovery and socially acceptable price, a functioning and adequate institutional and regulatory framework and institutionally and commercially sustainable utilities. The project will also contribute to the overall economic development of the target region. To ensure the sustainability of the project and the attainment of the aforementioned objective, the RWC Radoniqi will receive assistance in the fields of corporate development, public relations, policy dialogue and regulatory aspects.

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Health Improving Financial Protection and Quality of Care (Trust Fund with the World Bank) Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

September 2013 – October 2018 CHF 2,240,000 SDC Ministry of Health World Bank

In cooperation with the World Bank (WB), the Trust Fund (TF) aims to support the design, implementation and monitoring of health sector reforms to make quality health care more accessible and affordable for all citizens of Kosovo. The project will provide technical support in the following priority reform areas: i. Procurement systems for drugs and medical supplies; ii. Improve the poverty targeting mechanism for health insurance subsidies and iii. Introduce performance-based hospital systems with the hospitals. While the poor will benefit from better targeting of public subsidies, the general population in Kosovo shall benefit from improvements in service delivery due to the implementation of reforms.

Affordable Quality Healthcare for Kosovo (AQH) Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

Project development and inception: November 2013 – December 2015 CHF 700,000 (design and inception phase) SDC Ministry of Health; municipalities Consortium between the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and Save the Children

This project aims to contribute to improving the health of the population of Kosovo, with strengthened healthcare providers and managers able to meet the needs of the patients (especially vulnerable groups), who are more aware of their rights and needs. While the priority focus of AQH is the Primary Health Care level, it aims to address issues upwards through the levels of the health system, endeavoring to bring everything together to function as a holistic and integrated system. The components, intervention strategies, approaches as well as partner municipalities of AQH will be defined during the project’s inception phase to be launched in March 2015.

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Special Programme Migration Capacity Development and Functionalization of Government Authority on Migration (GAM) in Kosovo Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer/Consultant

November 2014 – June 2017 CHF 400,000 FOM Ministry of Internal Affairs, GAM members TBD

The project will contribute to an effective and sustainable improvement of migration management in Kosovo. This will be reached through improving the tools and capacities of GAM in analysing migrationrelated data and enhancing the competences of GAM in migration-related policy development. During the first phase, a needs assessment will be conducted to identify the capacity gaps and recommend capacity development of GAM. Based on the assessment, a main phase of technical assistance will be further provided.

Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Housing & Integration Project Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

December 2009 – December 2015 CHF 1,214,000 (contribution to the overall budget of 4.6 Mio €) FOM Municipality of Gjakova, Ministry of Community & Returns, Prime Minister’s Office for Community Affairs, Caritas Switzerland, other donors Project Implementation Office (supported by Caritas Switzerland)

The project targets the sustainable improvement of living conditions of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community, living in dire conditions in the Ali Ibra informal settlement in Gjakova. In addition to providing permanent housing by the construction of 120 housing units, the project will promote social inclusion through community building activities and support access to education and health services at municipal level. The project will further promote employment opportunities and sustainable income generation possibilities for the target community. Diaspora for Development (DfD) Program Inception Phase Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partner Implementer / Consultant

March 2011 – June 2017 2013 – 2015 CHF 660,000 (for inception phase) SDC Ministry of Diaspora, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kosovo Embassies, Diaspora organisations, pilot municipalities, etc. Solidar Suisse and the local implementer Institute for Management and Development

The project aims at facilitating the transfer of resources (financial, know-how, experience) from migrants into social and economic initiatives in Kosovo. The project will facilitate enhancing relations between diaspora and Kosovo authorities, development of favourable migration and investment policies and the provision of relevant information on services and resource transfer options. The three prominent themes of this project are: resource transfers, policy development and information provision. The intervention focus during the inception phase will be the municipal level and mainly the themes information provision and resource transfers. In its present form, entry into the main phase been halted. Rather, DfD is anticipated to be mainstreamed into other ongoing and new initiatives. Mainstreaming will be done in 1) Democratic Society Promotion II through a diaspora-related component (within DGD domain), 2) UNDP/IOM’s Diaspora Engagement in Economic Development project (currently under review), 3) Credit Guarantee Facility (earmark a fund for diaspora investments), 4) IFC’s business enabling environment project (improve the investment environment for diaspora investors) and potentially World Banks’ Remittance and Payments Program.

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Support to Clinical Psychology in Kosovo Phase I Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partner

Implementer / Consultant

January 2012 – September 2015 CHF 600,000 FOM Ministry of Health, Psychiatric University Clinic, Mental Health Centres, houses of integration, University of Pristina, Association of Kosovo Psychologists, The University of Basel – Faculty of Psychology and Kosova Health Foundation

The project will contribute to enhancing the professionalism and quality of mental health services in Kosovo, further widening the scope and types of services offered. The project will support the Ministry of Health in establishing a comprehensive post-graduate training programme in clinical psychology, including training the supervisors approach for further replication. A bylaw protected title of Clinical Psychologists as a recognised health profession will be awarded at the end of the programme.

Social inclusion and improvement of living conditions for RAE and other vulnerable groups in Kosovo Phase II Swiss Commitment Financing Agencies Project Partners Implementer / Consultant

February 2013 – December 2015 CHF 1,000,000 FOM (50% of the total budget) Hilfswerk der Evangelischen Kirchen Schweiz (HEKS), Terre des Hommes (TdH), Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians Kosovo (VoRAE) HEKS, TdH, VoRAE

The project aims to improve the living conditions and the social inclusion of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities as well as other vulnerable groups in Kosovo. To achieve this goal, the project intends to apply a combination of various interventions in the following four fields: empowerment and advocacy, education, sanitation and house-upgrading. Children will be at the focus of this intervention by supporting their integration in mainstream education as well as supporting the establishment and functioning of child protection mechanisms in various municipalities.

Other projects Swiss Regional Police Cooperation Programme (SPCP) SDC has been supporting justice and police reforms in Eastern Europe since 1992. The corresponding regional programme Police Reforms in South Eastern Europe was initially launched by the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) and handed over to SDC in the year 2000. Since 1999/2000, efforts have focused mainly on countries of South Eastern Europe, the region not only being the place of origin, but also the region of transit for various manifestations of trans-border organised crime. From 2008 to 2011, Switzerland provided technical assistance to the South East Europe Police Chiefs Association (SEPCA) for the implementation of regional projects. Since 2009, the SDC supports also the implementation of the Police Cooperation Convention for South East Europe (PCC). The current programme phase (2012 – 2016) aims at strengthening regional police cooperation to fight serious and organised crime in the Western Balkans by enhancing the framework conditions for strategic and operational police cooperation, increasing mutual trust and fostering harmonisation of law enforcement approaches. The SPCP is a project fund that can co-fund regional initiatives involving at least two countries. Based on partners’ project proposals support will be granted based on pre-defined selection criteria and on recommendation of the programme advisory group that is composed of the Swiss political directorate, Swiss Federal Office of Police (FEDPOL) and the Federal Customs Administration (FCA). The programme is coordinated and monitored by the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). Updated information on http://spcp2012-16.ch/

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Police Integrity Building Programme (PIBP) The objective of PIBP is to increase the capacity of countries within Southeast Europe to establish and maintain police services that function with integrity. The Project operates under two separate but complementary strands (outputs). The first strand involves the development of general activities aimed at raising awareness and generating public debate and the second strand aims at supporting and strengthening national capacity building structures and strategies on police integrity in countries that show an interest, need and commitment to the integrity building process. Monitoring and evaluation of the programme will also be conducted to ensure proper understanding of the impact of the activities and to assist in further planning. All activities are aligned with local strategies and implemented in partnership with local stakeholders. It is expected that the activities implemented under the PIBP in 2015, by raising awareness to all stakeholders on integrity and its importance, and by providing leadership/management guidance and support to develop and maintain police services that function with integrity, will contribute to an improved level of integrity in Interior Ministries and Police Services in Southeast Europe. In the long term, this will lead to increased public trust and the better functioning of the police, and therefore improved levels of security, within target countries. PIBP is also coordinated and monitored by DCAF; information available at http://www.dcaf.ch/Region/Southeast-Europe/Projects/Police-Integrity-Building-Programme. Regional Research Promotion Programme Western Balkans (RRPP) The RRPP is aimed at fostering and promoting social science research in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia). Social science research aids in the understanding of the specific needs for reform and in identifying the long-term implications of potential policy choices. Researchers receive support through research grants, methodological and thematic trainings, as well as opportunities for regional and international exchange and networking. The RRPP is coordinated and operated by the Interfaculty Institute for Central and Eastern Europe (IICEE) at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. The programme is fully funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. RRPP supports researchers focusing on the following thematic priorities: - Migration - Social disparities and the welfare state - Governance and decentralization Researchers from Kosovo shall contact the Local Coordination Unit, represented by the Centre for Political Courage, Mr. Arben Hajrullahu and Ms. Nita Bylykbashi. For more information:

http://www.cpc-ks.org/en-us/Home [email protected]

For more information on the projects, please visit our website https://www.fdfa.admin.ch/countries/kosovo/en/home.html

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