That is the primary objective of the Government to Government programme. Drawing on local expertise and fostering partnerships between Albanian and Dutch institutions, the Training Academy of Local Government of Albania (TALGA) the aims at strengthening the capacity of public institutions to deliver transparent, accountable, and inclusive services, especially for women and vulnerable groups. In this, the implementing organisations support TALGA in their training, mentoring, and reform efforts across all 61 municipalities.
Towards Democratic Local Governance is a four-year programme, implemented by The Hague Academy, VNG International and Helvetas Albania.
Central to the programme is the support of Training Academy of Local Government of Albania (TALGA), a Training of Trainers programme for four municipalities.
The programme is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
The project will provide tailored support to the TALGA and Albanian municipalities, aligned with national priorities and EU integration goals. It focuses on strengthening local governance by addressing four strategic themes through Dutch-Albanian collaboration:
AMVV is the Albanian Agency for the Support of Local Self-Government (AMVV), subordinate to the Minister of State for Local Government.
NAMA is the National Association of Municipalities of Albania (NAMA), founded as a voluntary and independent union of Municipalities of the Republic of Albania, with the mission of achieving greater autonomy through the strengthening and development of democratic structures and mechanisms in the organization and functioning of local units.
The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs works to promote Dutch interests and values around the world.
The Hague Academy for Local Governance offers practice-oriented training programmes designed by and for people working in local governance. We adopt an innovative, interactive and inclusive approach, making use of a variety of adult learning methods that suit the needs and wishes of practitioners in local governance.
Our programmes are characterised by a focus on the local perspective, an orientation on real-life problems, and a combination of expertise with exchange and experience.
VNG International is the international cooperation agency of the Association of Dutch Municipalities (Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten, VNG). It supports decentralisation processes and facilitates decentralised cooperation. They are strengthening municipalities, their associations, training institutes and working groups responsible for decentralization, both in developing countries and in countries in transition.
Helvetas is one of the most experienced and largest development organisations in Switzerland. In Albania, Helvetas has been active since 2006. It supports inclusive and sustainable development with a focus on youth employment, skills development, local governance, and strengthening democratic institutions. Through its projects, Helvetas Albania works closely with public institutions, civil society, and the private sector to foster participatory and accountable development processes.
International Day of Democracy
The Embassy of The Kingdom of the Netherlands in Albania published a video introducing the MATRA Government to Government (G2G) project “Towards Democratic Local Governance: Albania and the Netherlands”.
For more information on the project, please contact info@thehagueacademy.com with the subject line “Matra Albania inquiry”.
