Building Confidence in Local Government

Expanding Reach

DLDP began in Shkodra, later expanding to Lezha (2010) and then to Dibër, Durrës, and Kukës during Phase 3. By its final phase, DLDP directly covered five of Albania’s 12 regions, reaching about 30% of the population. In the remaining regions, DLDP worked through national institutions to spread its tools and manuals, ensuring that proven practices were shared nationwide.

Building Local Finance Capacity

DLDP helped municipalities plan and manage their finances more effectively.

• Published manuals and training courses on strategic planning and performance-based budgeting.

• Developed a financial planning tool used nationwide to estimate revenues, set spending ceilings, and plan investments transparently.

• Supported the Ministry of Finance in drafting the Law on Local Finances (2017), embedding international standards and improving predictability of grants and local tax discretion.

Territorial Reform

DLDP played a key role in Albania’s territorial reform of 2015, when the number of municipalities was reduced from 373 to 61.

• Introduced the concept of functional areas to guide new municipal borders.

• Prepared functional area programmes (FAPs) and methodologies for integrating them into territorial strategies and local plans.

• Helped municipalities adapt to their new size and responsibilities with practical tools and training.

Policy Influence

DLDP contributed to national debates and reforms by:

• Providing inputs on the fiscal equalization system and decentralisation strategy.

• Sharing expertise at national conferences, including on the Law on Local Finances.

• Promoting the idea of a sub-national PEFA assessment to measure financial performance at local level.

Inclusive Service Delivery

DLDP worked to ensure that men and women equally benefited from improved municipal services. By strengthening local capacities and anchoring DLDP products at the national level, the programme contributed to a more inclusive and equitable governance framework.

Outcomes

• Local governments consolidated their financial and administrative management skills, improving service delivery.

• DLDP products (manuals, curricula, standards) became owned by national actors, who now manage and disseminate them.

• National decentralisation policy and legal frameworks were strengthened through DLDP’s structured learning and inputs.

Legacy

DLDP ended in 2018, but its impact continues. Manuals, training curricula, and financial planning tools remain in use. The territorial reform and Law on Local Finances carry forward DLDP’s vision of stronger, more accountable municipalities. The programme laid the foundation for later initiatives like Bashki të Forta and TALGA, ensuring Albania’s decentralisation reforms are sustainable and systemic.

Project Facts

• Name: DLDP – Decentralisation and Local Development Programme

• Phase: 2007 to 2018

• Funding: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

• Thematic Focus: Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion; Gender & Social Equity; Advocacy; Urban Engagement

• Reach: Five northern regions, covering 30% of Albania’s population

Read more at: https://bashkiteforta.al/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/12-years-dldp_organized.pdf