Memorandum of Understanding governing the operations of Aarhus Information Centres in Albania in pursuit of promoting enhanced Aarhus Convention compliance

Background
In July 2006 the OSCE Presence in Albania (PiA) signed an MoU with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration (MEFWA) on “Collaboration in the Field of Environmental Information and Implementation of Aarhus Convention Requirements in Albania”

Since this date numerous facilities have been established and activities conducted:
An Aarhus Advisory Board (AAB) was formed in December 2006 comprising of members from the MEFWA and representatives from Civil Society. The AAB has met on a regular basis to discuss and endorse key proposed activities and associated issues under two OSCE-funded grants on Environmental Governance.

In December 2006 an Aarhus Information Centre (AIC) was opened in the premises of the MEFWA in Tirana. This remains a government facility staffed and resourced by the MEFWA. Two further AICs were opened in NGO premises in Shkodra and Vlora during 2007. These were financially supported by the OSCE PiA and were subsequently registered as Albanian NGOs in early 2009 with respective independent governing boards.

In September 2007 an Albanian Aarhus Portal website (http://www.aic.org.al) was launched containing Aarhus related information, reports and documents. Training on Rights, Responsibilities and Obligations under the Aarhus Convention for government officials and civil society representatives was also conducted in Tirana, Vlora and Shkodra.

In addition to the above numerous meetings have been organised by the AICs to discuss issues of local concern of an environmental nature and of relevance to the Convention with local authorities, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders.

In January 2009 the Albanian government Aarhus Focal Point, and the Managers of the Shkodra and Vlora AICs, attended an event in Vienna organized jointly by the UNECE and OSCE OCEEA. This resulted in the drafting of a Road Map for AIC activities to better define their roles based upon the experience of AIC facilities across the OSCE region. The Road Map provides a solid basis for further defining the focus of Albanian AICs in the local context. It also assists with the task of identifying areas for joint collaboration among the Albanian AICs in the section below.

Agreed Areas for Collaboration

The AIC network agrees to collaborate and cooperate on matters and activities that enhance implementation of the Aarhus Convention's three pillars in Albania and promote broader Good Governance principles, including the following activities:
1) Adopting the network for two-way dissemination and collation of information including formulation of draft legislation and policy, national reports and other documents utilising participatory approaches;
2) Identification of strategic issues and developments relating to Aarhus for inclusion on the agenda of the regular Aarhus Advisory Board meeting in Tirana;
3) Identification and compilation of relevant articles and documents relating to Aarhus implementation and developments, for uploading to the National Aarhus Website for subsequent public access;
4) Monitoring issues of relevance to Aarhus implementation - such as the quality of Public Participation events, Environmental Impact Assessment and other matters of compliance - and subsequently sharing this information with the AIC Tirana;
5) Identification of appropriate participant target groups, topics and agendas for proposed training and assistance with associated logistics;
6) Collaboration particularly to raise awareness of, and put into practical motion, the third pillar of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Justice through support to state, non-state and private sector stakeholders with legal advice, training and relevant information.

Signed on behalf of the Aarhus Information Centres of Tirana, Shkodra and Vlora on 11 June 2009:

Ms. Edlira Dersha
AIC Manager Tirana

Ms. Aurora Dibra
AIC Manager Shkodra

Mr. Robert Murataj
AIC Manager Vlora