Within the project “ESPID 4 Vjosa” (Improvement and development of the link Science-Decision-making for Vjosa), EcoAlbania seeks to employ a full-time internal expert on the topic of water policy and management.
- The expert will collaborate with a group of local and international experts and will consult the project on the horizontal approach to integrated cross-border watershed management and policy. This quality assurance function will close the knowledge gaps and improve the cross-sectoral exchange between the actors of the institutional framework and the scientific community.
- The expert will also work to build capacity and empower government stakeholders, decision-makers to effectively assume the responsibilities of their jurisdictional duties. Also, the reputation of the national expert will be strengthened in order to continue as a recognized group in the field of the Albanian watershed management framework.
- Furthermore, the expert is required to develop various Trainings for capacity building, with a clear approach towards European Legislation and Standards. The project provides these trainings not only for decision-makers and government organizations, but also for civil societies and local communities.
- Therefore, the expert is asked to conceive various seminars and field trips together with national experts and academic institutions. The level of knowledge to be transmitted should be tailored to each category of stakeholders targeted by the project. This guidance function will support the procedural framework of watershed management and decision-making in the Vjosa basin. The desired outcome is to give a voice to all interested parties present in the public hearing processes.
- For the best possible outcome of the project’s objectives, the expert is expected to have continuous exchanges with national experts, but also to participate in monthly meetings with the project team.
- In order to reflect and adjust the quality of the activities provided, the expert will be involved in a regular evaluation process, which will be implemented through a feedback loop between the stakeholders, the project team and the experts.
*On the ESPID4Vjosa project (Improvement and development of the connection Science-Decision-making for Vjosa)
The Vjosa river basin is located in the south of Albania. Considered as the last free-flowing river in all of Europe, Vjosa represents a great potential not only for nature conservation values, but also for sustainable economic development through eco-tourism activities. However, due to the lack of an integrated bilateral management plan for the river basin, Vjosa is facing many challenges.
Following the previous work to highlight the importance and uniqueness of the river in terms of nature conservation, EuroNatur and EcoAlbania are implementing the “ESPID 4 Vjosa” Project, which aims to strengthen management efforts for the sustainable development of the Vjosa River watershed, bringing together politics-science-civil society.
The main goal is to increase scientific support for responsible institutions and promote communication between decision makers, scientists, the public, stakeholders and NGOs. This is expected to be the change of the current fragmented and disconnected climate of the actors, engaged in the water management sector and certainly requires cooperation and active coordination between them.
The main goal and vision is to create an integrated watershed management framework and work towards a sustainably managed Vjosa National Park in collaboration with government decision-makers, civil societies, academics and other projects in area.
ESPID4Vjosa is implemented by EuroNatur and EcoAlbania with the financial support of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
