The Annual Advisory Group Meeting of the ROMACTED Programme took place at the Ministry of Health and Social Protection in Tirana, bringing together the main relevant stakeholders at central level and the local teams of the seven partner municipalities. The aim of the Advisory Group meeting was to take stock on the advancement of the Programme in Albania and discuss on the up-to-date progress of ROMACTED Programme and provide recommendations for the upcoming implementation during 2019.

The overall progress of the Programme in this first year was presented, followed up by the current practices implemented in the Municipalities of Fier, Roskovec and Korca. Participants highlighted the positive inter institutional partnership in the implementation process, an ownership of local actions and a consolidation of community action groups and institutional working groups in each municipality as the core structures in the identification of problems and proposal of long term solutions. Recommendations were provided on the continuation of synergies with the central government policies, the immediate design of the Roma Integration Local Plans in line with the local social plans and the promotion of Roma in the local councils during the local elections of 2019.

ROMACTED Programme aims at building up political will and sustained policy engagement of local authorities to enhance democratic local governance and empowerment of local Roma communities and it is implemented in the municipalities of Fier, Vlora, Roskovec, Permet, Elbasan, Pogradec and Korca in Albania.