The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Council of Europe signed an agreement in July 2025 on the funding of the project "Enhancing Public Sector Resilience Against Corruption”. The project has a budget of EUR 1,754,386 and will run for 30 months.

What is the goal(s) and objective(s) of the action?

The project’s main aim is to support relevant Ministries, public institutions and local government units, in strengthening their resilience against corruption and improving asset recovery, thereby fostering greater public trust and promoting the social reuse of confiscated assets. Activities organised around the project outcomes will contribute to achieving this objective.

Who benefits from the action?

The project will work closely and assist various beneficiaries and counterparts in governmental bodies at all levels, including:

• Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption; 
• General Directorate of Anti-Corruption;
• Minister of State for Local Government;
• Agency for the Support of Local Self Government;
• High Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets and Conflicts of Interest;
• Ministry of Interior;
• Asset Recovery Office;
• Agency for the Management of Seized and Confiscated Assets;
• Local government units (municipalities);
• Association of municipalities;
• The Commissioner for the Right to Information and the Protection of Personal Data.

How does the action work?

• In the area of anti-corruption, the project will enhance preventive measures through targeted actions at national and sub-national levels. It will focus on improving legal frameworks and practical capacities for addressing corruption, promoting integrity, and fostering transparency through open data tools such as registers for public officials, lobbyists, and/or gifts.
• At the sub-national level, the project will prepare local authorities to promote integrity and prevent corruption risks. This comprehensive approach will ensure the consistent application of anti-corruption measures across various governance levels.
• Furthermore, the project will focus on reviewing and aligning legal and institutional frameworks for asset recovery with European standards. It will support both the Asset Recovery Office (ARO) and the Agency for the Management of Seized and Confiscated Assets (AMSCA) in Albania. The project will facilitate further steps to operationalise the ARO and strengthen the interinstitutional cooperation with the AMSCA to ensure a comprehensive system for depriving criminals of illegal assets.
• It will emphasise the social reuse and environmentally responsible management of confiscated criminal assets, help strengthen resilience to organised crime and empower local communities by connecting local government institutions, civil society organisations and private sector.

What do we expect to achieve?

The expected results of the project are:

• Regulatory measures, open data tools and capacities for effective anti-corruption measures and their consistent application at national and sub-national levels are enhanced and improve the institutional mechanisms and response to corruption risks.
• Capacities of Albanian institutions are strengthened for the recovery, management and social reuse of confiscated criminal assets.

What is the budget of the action?

The project has a budget of EUR 1,754,386, with 90% provided by SDC and 10% by the Council of Europe.