SHUKALB attends the D-LeaP Committee Council Meeting: 2024 Planning, Deliverables, and Collaborative Initiatives

In an annual meeting conducted on January 30, 2024, at the World Bank premises in Vienna, the Danube Learning Partnership (D-LeaP) Committee Council assembled both in-person and virtually. The gathering included D-LeaP Committee Council members, IAWD staff members, World Bank staff members, SECO representatives, GIZ representatives, NALAS representatives, fostering a discussion on crucial aspects of D-LeaP’s work plan.

The key highlights of the meeting are outlined below:

• The draft D-LeaP Annual Report for 2023 was presented, providing reflections on the challenges encountered in Capacity Development (CD) programs throughout the year and valuable lessons learned for future improvements.
• Upcoming D-LeaP Programs for 2024 were presented, detailing the initiatives planned by each Hub and the financial requirements associated with these CD programs were also addressed.
• Presentations made by the parallel regional projects, particularly RCDN+ and UoF-CoE. There were discussions on the coordination needed for leverage of resources and synergies in the region.
• The progress of the D-LeaP Academy was shared, including plans for transitioning to an open-source Learning Management System (LMS).
• A presentation on the progress of the D-LeaP Quality Management Framework, currently under development was made with the purpose to ensure the quality and effectiveness of D-Leap programs.
• An agreement was reached regarding the sharing of D-LeaP materials with other regions to contribute to CD initiatives on a broader scale.

Represented by its training manager Jonida Ahmeti, SHUKALB actively contributed to discussions concerning national CD programs and regional initiatives. SHUKALB is committed to delivering three planned CD programs during 2024 in the framework of D-LeaP, namely Asset Management, Water Safety Plan and Crisis Management Programs, and the Access to Financing Program. These programs are tailored to provide targeted solutions for Water Supply and Sewerage (WSS) companies in Albania.