SHUKALB participates at the Project CrossWater+ Conference “Sustainable Water Management. Challenges and Good Practices in Albania, Montenegro and Italy”

On July 31, 2024, in Tirana, SHUKALB participated in the Project CrossWater+ Conference titled “Sustainable Water Management. Challenges and Good Practices in Albania, Montenegro and Italy”.

The conference was organized by Tirana Water Supply and Sewerage Company, and brought together experts from Albania, Montenegro, and Italy to discuss innovative solutions for water resources management in our regions. The event featured presentations on various crucial topics, from achieving sustainable water management to wastewater treatment and water resource management across national contexts.

Participants included representatives from the Municipality of Tirana, Tirana Water Utility, the World Bank, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Acquedotto Pugliese, Regional Waterworks of the Montenegrin coast and Water Resources Management Agency of Albania, Water Resources Management Agency of Montenegro and SHUKALB.

SHUKALB was represented at the conference by Alban Kushi, Manager of Member Services, who held the presentation titled “SHUKALB Capacity Development Efforts:     Paving the Way Towards a Professional and Skilled Water Sector Workforce in Albania”.  At his presentation Mr. Kushi highlighted the need for capacity development in the Albanian water sector, emphasizing historical and ongoing programs such as the National Training and Test-Based Certification Program, SHUKALB Training Program, joint initiatives with SHUKOS, D-LeaP Programs and and the RCDN CD programs.

The presentation explored the challenges and opportunities faced in ensuring continuous professional development for water utility staff. A key focus was on the need to create incentives and monitoring mechanisms for water utilities to budget for ongoing staff training. The establishment of the National Training and Certification Program remains a top priority for SHUKALB, as this program is integral to securing a skilled workforce capable of driving progress in Albania’s water sector.

This conference was not only an opportunity to share SHUKALB’s progress but also to learn from international examples and collaborate on future initiatives. The collective expertise present at the event made it clear that by working together, we can find innovative and sustainable solutions to the challenges we face in water management.