South East Europe Urban Resilience Building Action Network

What is the project about?

Severe floods (2014-2015) that hit South East European (SEE) countries have once again shown that disasters do not recognize state or administrative borders and they are often 'shared'

The floods of January-February 2015 in southern Albania, affected 42,000 persons, 12,000 ha of agriculture land, with a calculated damage of 31.5 mln in agriculture alone. Climate projections for our region indicate an increased frequency and consequences of the meteorological events in the future.
While the enabling, guiding and coordinating role of national governments in reducing disaster risk remains essential, it is imperative that local authorities and local communities are strengthened too.
An important contribution to reducing disaster risk can be played by the local platforms for the exchange of information on best practices; lessons learned, policies, plans and measures for disaster risk reduction.
This project will support further decentralization of the disaster governance mechanisms and make them more transparent and accessible at local level.  

The Regional SEE URBAN project is being implemented in seven countries of South East Europe - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo*, FYR Macedonia and Serbia.

What have we accomplished so far?

During its first year of implementation the following is being achieved by SEE Urban project:
1. A local DRR platform of Albania is being established, co-chaired by Association of Municipalities of Albania (AMA) and Association for Local Autonomy (ALA). The platform will serve to:

  • exchange ideas, knowledge, joint action, mutual support, among local, national, international actors involved in the field of disaster prevention and reduction
  • strengthen municipal capacities in preparing, responding, recovering and mitigating disaster risk as well as for incorporating them into local development plans, policies and programs.
  • encourage dialogue and a comprehensive local decision-making based on the open exchange of information and risk data, broken down by gender, age, inability, easily accessible, up-to-date, comprehensible and complemented by local knowledge.
  • develop cooperation programs and projects in the area of prevention and readiness for disaster response with similar associations within and outside Albania
  • support the establishment of systems and services for the exchange of information, best practices, technologies, lessons learned, and measures to reduce the risk of disaster.
  • develop periodic campaigns for local community education and awareness on disaster risk and drafting local strategies for reducing it.


2. Publications/regulations related to DRR in Albania, identified and shared in the regional DRR e-library of SEE Urban
3. Legislation related to Albania’s efforts to join Union Civil Protection Mechanism translated

Military helping people affected by floods in Albania