Considering the project is in its last phase, the meeting started with updates on the progress as well as a presentation of the upcoming activities. An important component is knowledge gain. Therefore, the second round of thematic workshops will be organized in Dropull, Memaliaj, Kelcyre and Vlore. Sarantaporos Science week, a joint research action at transboundary level brought together more than 60 scientists from Europe and US. Another component is working with Policymakers. In this regard, Steering Committee Meetings have been held as well as meetings with Local Governance representatives in Albania and Greece. Capacity building for Vjosa Civil Society Network (VCSN) has been in focus throughout this period. An online campaign to empower women of Vjosa by sharing their stories in relation to the river. Members discussed on the progress made by similar projects from VjoSusDev and EU4Rivers in Vjosa Valley.
A mid-term evaluation was conducted by a consultant company “Nature Returns” focusing on the project’s progress and impact from February to May 2024. The findings from the evaluation were presented by representatives from EuroNatur. Some main components of the evaluation are relevance, coherence and effectiveness. The evaluation used data triangulation that includes online survey, interviews and desk study. The stakeholder groups addressed in this data collection phase were Governmental Agencies, Academia, Civil Society and Project Management including the implementing team and donor. Respondents report the project effectively identifies and addresses the needs of all targeted groups, the project components and activities are well-integrated, working synergistically towards common objectives. They said the project adapts and responds well to changing contexts and stakeholder feedback.
For the remaining period of the project, several activities have been planned with various stakeholders. Including an awareness Raising Event for women and marginalised groups aiming to highlight the challenges faced by these groups and promote their rights and inclusion in decision-making. A workshop will be organized with key water users aiming to help water companies to adapt with the changes and new requests coming from the status Vjosa received, ensuring the operations are sustainable and in accordance with environmental regulations. Technical reports and Public Participation Guideline will be shared with the different stakeholders in Vjosa Basin. An exchange visit will take place in Greece with Vjosa Civil Society Network (VCSN) as well as development of the strategy for this network. The VCSN strategic plan will be developed in the next 5 years.
