ALDA in Western Balkans: a strategy for a renewed commitment

During the last meeting of the Governing Board of ALDA, held on Thursday December 2^nd2021, all members agreed upon a strategic document concerning a more reasoned and effective action to be implemented by the Association and its network in the Balkan Region.

Being the Balkans the birthplace of ALDA, the Region where everything has started back in that December 1999, ALDA has always paid a particular attention to the Western Balkan region, through the continuous implementation of initiatives aimed at supporting and empowering local authorities and Civil Society.

At present, ALDA is an organisation deeply rooted in the Balkan area, with ongoing activities and projects in all the Western Balkan countries, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Furthermore, counting 36 member municipalities and associations, 8 Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs), the Balkan Network for Local Democracy (BNLD) as well as a wide network of partners, ALDA is well placed and ready to develop and implement local driven initiatives while sharing international best practices and support actions.

ALDA is ready to develop and implement local driven initiatives while sharing international best practices and support actions

Let’s unfold ALDA’s new Strategy in the Western Balkans

Goal: ALDA’s main goal in Western Balkans is to support regional cooperation and EU integration processes in the Region as well as to promote local democracy and citizens participation as a precondition for local sustainable development.

Actions: The Strategy foresees a set of action lines to be implemented, each one addressing a key area, important for the achievement of the overall objective in a sustainable and effective manner.

• Be a global alliance of civil society and local authorities engaged in local democracy and community engagement in the region with a regional approach
• Support dialogue between EU and the Balkans
• Support and development of the Local Democracy Agencies as agents for change for local democracy and citizens’ participation
• Implementation of country-based strategies and strengthening of the cooperation with relevant national institutions and local stakeholders

The whole ALDA and its Governing Board are very proud of the elaboration of this strategy which will surely bring benefit to the whole Western Balkans Region, as always happens when reinforcing internal relations among local and regional stakeholders, decentralised cooperation and dialogue with key institutions.

While widening its scope, ALDA will remain a key player in the Balkan region, reinforcing its actions and establishing new profitable relations with stakeholder at a global level.