Republic of Albania Council of Ministers

Republic of Albania Council of Ministers Government – Development Counselors meeting Priorities for the reconstruction, Post –Gerdec • Prepared by the inter-ministerial working group for the coordination of Donors and external assistance in civil emergencies • Venue: Ministry of European Integration 14/05/2008

Scope of the presentation • Overview of the current situation and the situation after the explosion • Immediate intervention of government and donors • Government steps for donors coordination • Sector priorities • Action plan

What happened • On 15.03.2008 there were several explosions in the munitions decommissioning facility near the village of Gerdec in the municipality of Vora. • These explosions were especially strong in the surroundings of Vora and at a lower intensity in Durrës and Tirana

The government's reaction after the explosions • All government responsible structures went to the place of the explosion in record time; • Police, fire engines, ambulances, army and the other emergency structures were involved in the: • Evacuation of 4000 people, • First aid to 400 people, • Transport and medical care in the hospitals of Tirana and Durrës for 300 people (among them 25 people in very serious conditions); • The prime minister established the Emergency Group that coordinated all the interventions; • The Council of Ministers activated the Inter-Ministerial Working Group Chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister; • First priority was focused in medical help to affected persons, accommodation of people with damaged houses, intensive finding and rescuing, safety and cleaning of the area, estimation of the damages and needs, financial and humanitarian support. • National and international solidarity was very high

UNDAC Recommendations • Immediate cleaning of the area from the active ordinances (UXO) in 3 identified spots • Demolition of huge military ammunitions in Albania (NATO request) • Sustainable reconstruction/rehabilitation of houses/infrastructure • Building capacities in the institutions of civil emergency

Donor Response– Emergency Phase

Financial support from state budget - 1 • The funds already approved are : 155.8 million lekë for assistance to the families and 1.422 billion lekë for reconstruction of houses; • From the total, 1.265 million leke have been used (or 80 % of the fund). • Donors (individuals/organizations In and Out of the country) have contributed and reported to the Bank of Albania 466,982 thousand lekë; • The funds for assistance to the families have been released by Tirana treasury branch in secondary banks; • The funds for reconstruction of houses are released by Treasury Directorate of Ministry of Finance in the Bank of Albania based on the lists provided by the municipality of Vora; • The management is made in accordance with Council of Ministers Decision Nr.343 date 27.03.2008. • Treasury Directorate has released to the Bank of Albania all request that have come from the municipality of Vora for the reconstruction of houses; • Up to April the Bank of Albania has received the funds for 2069 people out of 3825 total number; • Bank of Albania has calculated an amount of 1.001 million leke for the beneficiaries and is processing 222.550 thousand leke.

Financial support from state budget - 2 • Financial aid to the victims for a total amountof48 000 000 lekëfor 24 victims, from the Reserve Fund. (CoM decision Nr. 277 dt.18.3.2008,CoM decision nr.355 dt.25.3.2008 and CoM decision nr.390 dt.8.4.2008); • Immediate Financial aid to the families whose houses were not in living conditions, 50 000 lekë per person (up to 200 000 lekë per family), with a total amount of 110 000 000 leke, from the Reserve Fund. (CoM decision nr. 306 dt.20.3.2008 andCoM decision nr.344 dt.27.03.2008);

Financial support from state budget - 3 • Immediate Financial aid for the employees working for the ammunition demolition factory in Gërdec, that have interrupted their jobs due to the accident, for an amount of 50 000 lekë per person, with a total amount of7 200 000 lekë, from the reserve fund (CoM decision nr.348 dt1.04.2008); • Property/wealth compensationof families for a total amount of 1 572 000 000 lekë.The funds came 800 000 000 lekë from the reserve fundand; 622 000 000 lekëfrom contingency fund and 150 000 000 lekëfrom the account that the government opened for this purpose.

Support from government • For the families with no houses, 600 people were hosted and treated in 3 centers in Durrës. 44 families of Xixa residence were hosted in rented houses in Vora and surroundings; • Food and other items were distributed to the families in need from government and donors; • Operations of finding/rescuing, control and clearing up of the area from active ammunitions have continued very intensively.

Actions undertaken by Albanian Government - 1 • During that period 500 forces have operated every day in the disaster area: • 70 people from Albanian specialised staff for mine clearance • 24 specialised forces from AMAE represented by a private Danish company, • 13 specialised forces from army troupes of Kosovo, • 93 security forces, • 100 finding/rescuing forces, • 130 supportive forces • 70 from state police

Actions undertaken by Albanian Government - 2 • Different structures have been working on: • Electricity supply rehabilitation, • Pollution assessment and evaluation, • Dead animals evacuation and disposal, etc • Search-rescue operations, • Citizens transportation, • First aid supply and medical treatment, • Collection and transport of approximately • 1500 unexploded mines, • 300 detonators, - Clean-up of approximately 1200 ha land 1200 houses.

DONOR COORDINATION - 1 • The Prime Minister with the order Nr.47 Data 21/4/2008 established the “Inter-ministerial working group for the Coordination of Donors and External Assistance in Civil Emergencies” chaired by the director of DSDC in the Council of Ministers, composed of: • General secretaries of line ministries; • General director of civil emergencies, Ministry of Interior; • General director of KESH sh.a; • General director of water and sewage; • Director of the agency for legalization of informal areas and buildings (ALUIZNI); • Director of registration of immovable property agency; • Director of financial supervision authority; • Director of housing national entity • The Inter-ministerial working group for the evaluation of environment pollution index was created and it will be in charge for the monitoring and analysis of the indicators. This group is chaired by the ministry of environment and has members from professional institutes for the measurement of the indicators.

DONOR COORDINATION - 2 INTER INSTITUTIONAL GROUP is in charge: • To design a short-term and medium-term plan which allows and further develops measures to be undertaken for financial support: • To interact and to coordinate the work undertaken by the Government with Donor Community; • To identify necessary resources for coveringthe financial gaps • To monitor and reporton progress achieved againstthe action plan implementation.

DONOR COORDINATION ACTIVITIES – 2 • After the donors meeting organized from DTS on 11th of April, so far it has been undertaken: • 4 meetings with Inter Institutional Group to coordinate and identify damages and financial needs of State Institutions (short and medium-term). • Several meetings with DTS, representatives and experts of donors’ projects in the damaged area. • A completed needs inventory has been prepared • This was the first meeting of other following activities with donors.

Government needs for reconstruction and rehabilitation of Gerdec areaby sectors

Mid term/long term sector needs • Education – 1,262 thousand Euro • Health – 410 thousand Euro • Infrastructure – 6,073 thousand Euro • Environment – 1.400 thousand Euro • Agriculture – 76 thousand Euro • Ministry of Interior – 4,927 thousand Euro • Social affairs – 10 thousand Euro • TOTAL - 14,149 thousand EURO

Education sector needs–1(short-term) • Facilities and supply for 16 schools - 326 000 EUR • School reconstruction/construction - 936 000 EUR • TOTAL: 1,262 000 EUR

Education sector needs–2Priority projects

Health Sector Needs Specified requests listed according to budget lines are (short term): - Riconstruction of Health Centers - 74.800 EUR - Equipment and medical supply - 162.000 EUR -Ambulances - 121.000 EUR - Equipment and laboratory supply - 31.000 EUR - Medicals - 1.500 EUR - Health Clinics’ equipments - 21.000 EUR TOTAL: 410.000 EUR

Infrastructure Sector Needs • Water and sewage (short term) - 2,556 thousandEuro • Roads (short term) - 1,862thousandEuro • Establishment of landfill (Mid term)- 1,656 thousandEuro • TOTAL: 8,730 thousandeuro

Environment Sector Needs Laboratory equipment 803 thousandEURO Trainings for specialized staff 10 thousandEURO Monitoring bio parameters 123 thousandEURO Forestry 330 thousandEURO TOTAL 1,400 thousandEURO Agriculture Sector Needs • Fruit sapling, fertilizer, seeds 76 thousandEURO

Social issues needs • Psycho-social service - 10,100 EUR Energy KESH reparation measures undertaken: - Distribution network (transmittion line, wires, insulator) 131000 EUR - Pole cabins (cable box) 902 000 EUR TOTAL 221 000 EUR

Donors pledges - Mid term

Planned activities with donors • Meeting of Sector Working group on Social Issues (education/health) – Monday 19 may 2008; • Meeting of Sector Working group on Infrastructure/Energy issues – Tuesday, 20 May 2008; • Meeting of Sector Working group on Environment/ Agriculture issues – on Wednesday 21 May 2008; • Government – Donor Meeting (political Level) - planned on Tuesday, 27 may 2008.

Government Request to donors • Orientation of funds for infrastructure (in Gerdec area) through an existing program. i.e. Feeder Roads, managed by WB and implemented by ADF; • Possible establishment of a Trust Fund or Programme Based Approach (PBA) or Sector Wide Approach for reconstruction/rehabilitation of the area; • All funds to be committed in a very short time (within May) in order to be incorporated in MTBP cycle (ending June 2008).

THANK YOU

Republic of Albania Council of Ministers