*Prime Minister Edi Rama’s remarks at meeting of the State Commission for Reconstruction, with cabinet members, representatives of national agencies and international donors discussing Reconstruction steps:
First of all, thank you for joining us in this meeting of the State Commission for Reconstruction, which is absolutely an encouraging and revealing gathering, because the Commission is joined by the biggest representatives of the donors’ community. By doing so together we send a very clear message to the donors’ community and the Albanian people. And we are doing this by stressing our shared goal to make the best out of that fantastic start we had on February 17 in Brussels.
We were very much looking forward to making sure that the donors were to come forward. We knew this is not the very orthodox way to deal with such a matter and we of course knew you had to go through your own inner discussions, but let me tell you we are very grateful for reaching the conclusion that this is the right thing to be done and that we should be together.
For us, the reconstruction project is not simply a program that should address the damages, but an extraordinary opportunity to build at the same time a program that should be a model of transparency, efficiency and great results for the people, first and foremost also for Albania itself.
We know very well that there are different outcomes in addressing disasters, in dealing with the post-disaster needs and situations in various countries and also here, within a same country. There are experiences of great success, just like there are also bitter experiences of failure.
We have done our homework, we have gone through all of them, we have tried to understand how the success was built, or why it ended in failure and why it was materialized. Based on all of that, but also being very aware that for us this is the very first experience, because we have to deal with something Albania has never dealt before, so we thought that the best thing to do was to very humbly ask for your help, not simply because you have at the same time to guarantee your own sides, but also because you can bring here a lot of knowledge thanks to the great expertize you have built over so many years in your countries, or in your organizations.
In our ambition, reconstruction is not simply a housing policy that need to be implemented, or an urban development policy that need to be addressed in the quake-affected areas, but it is also a new opportunity for the country to set a new speed towards a better economic situation, towards a better urban situation and better social situation. And that’s why the reconstruction program is a combination of the need of the people to get back under a roof, together with the need to give them a better life in their communities, not simply by building their houses. This means not only houses, but also schools, kindergartens, services and infrastructure. This also means better connection with the centre of their municipalities.
As we speak, the challenge we face is still in front of us. We have prepared ourselves to start and we have already done it before the Donors’ Conference, because we wanted to make sure that whatever the outcome of the Donors’ Conference was to be, the government could take care of housing and would take care of all kids who need to go to school, also the elderly and people in need for health care.
Without wanting to take more of your time, I want to stress a very important point. Experience has shown that donors are difficult people and working with donors complicates your life, which becomes a hell when donors need to talk and coordinate with each other and then coordinate with the government too. That’s why I highly value this Commission and that’s why it was not formal and it was not just a nice thing, but it is a very heartfelt thank you to all of you here, exactly because I very much hope that by doing so you are prepared to make a much better coordination among yourselves and with us.
Let me provide a very simple example to illustrate it. All of you came to Brussels with your full hearts and pledged a lot of good things. But before pledging these contributions, none of you has talked to others and everyone has conceived this pledge connected to something concrete, like a school, or water supply systems, neighbourhoods and stuff like this. Now the challenge is to put together all these pledges, because if we were for example to count pledges on building new schools, they are actually more than we really need and at the same time we have to make sure that we have what we need and the rest goes somewhere else. But this somewhere else is very important to be decided together. So, if the government was to say let’s put it somewhere else and you were not to be in this table, then doubt would ensue immediately. And not only in deciding what to do, but also in deciding the way how it would be done we need to be together. I don’t want you simply make sure that your taxpayers’ money, or the money of your own contributors, is spent properly, but I also want that through this Commission and through your presence to guarantee that the Albanian taxpayers’ money is also spent properly.
For that I would praise again the United States government for presenting the proposal, or better say, for accepting to consider the proposal I have made to establish the Transparency Academy, but this should be just one piece of the mosaic. I would very much like to see the EU doing the same to add expertise, add more eyes and monitor the implementation of the spending process, from the tendering process to the process of supervising. We have the example, which is set in motion with the Turkish government. The process has already advanced more than with the others given that they came a bit earlier. And by the way, it is a perfect combination, because they will be themselves on the site and they will have their own supervisors and we will also have our own supervisors. So we will have four eyes, so to say, that will come together to make sure things go in the right direction.
Based on this experience we held discussions on planning, we had discussions on the typologies and discussions on the way we will move forward. And we have a common understanding now and it was not that easy. It sounds very easy, but it is not that easy to talk with Turkish, trust me. And actually this is how it should be, because we gained best result from it.
This is it. We have a whole team that is ready and has a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge on planning. We have a whole network of people and institutions that have to go through to make sure that implementation process is right. Now, having this third party joining us and being part of this table, I just feel we should aim just one thing, success. Failure is not something that should be part of the reconstruction vocabulary. And success should be the main or key word. So, I am sure we will make it a reality, presuming that the EU will be faster than usual in terms of the need to deliver faster results, because it is about a program where time is essential. People can’t wait too long. Procedures are absolutely to be respected, but sometimes they are so long and of course they are bearable when it comes to other different projects, but not when it comes to building houses and schools.
The goal is to bring back under a roof all people who have lost individual houses and celebrate the next New Year in their new houses. We want the kids to go to schools at the start of the next academic year. I know this is very ambitious, but we will do everything to make it happen, but not later than this year. The goal is also to start step by step work in much more complicated sites to construct multi-storey apartment buildings in urban areas.
Now I would like to give the floor to our former guests who are today practically members of this Commission and are part of this effort. It is another very exemplary moment of this whole effort. You were with us when we had to save lives, you were with us when we needed your pledges and you are with us now when we want to start reconstruction and make sure that everything is done properly and make sure that at the end, Albania’s Reconstruction Program will become a case study and a model for the EU to propose to other countries how things can be done better and faster by taking the example of Albania.
Thank you very much!
EU Ambassador Luigi Soreca: Thank you Mr. Prime Minister! Thank you first of all for convening the Reconstruction Commission and enlarging it to ambassadors and key international donors. Secondly, thank you for inviting us to celebrate together with you so that we do not forget the February 17 date. Actually the slogan remains the same: Together for Albania” today and then on Feb 17 which was a phenomenal day as President Von der Leyen herself put it during the joint press conference with you, we showed an incredible spirit of solidarity and care towards this country where we are serving now. As you rightly put it, we now have to move forward. As far as we are concerned, we are proud of taking over the task to organize such a big Conference. It is not such a simple task as you can imagine. It took a lot of effort, both here and in Brussels, but we went beyond our collective expectations, including the people who were involved and the outcomes of the Conference in general.
Now after few days of putting the right things in order, we are ready to go on with the next phase. We have been talking to the Minister for the Reconstruction all along the past three weeks to understand as big donor how to make sure that we not only become fast in delivering results, but also effective. As you already mentioned, this is a new opportunity for Albania. It actually represents a combination of elements of reconstruction, but it also goes beyond just reconstruction itself. This makes the role of the European Union even more prominent and important also because of the fact that you are in the process of integration in EU and there are areas that deal with the reconstruction process. We feel that we have a task and not only that, but I would say we have an obligation to help, support and advise. In order to do so, we need to participate in this process and that’s why it is so important to be part of this platform, bringing together all our colleagues, as well as the whole team that will manage this program, starting with the Minister, in order for us to make sure that all the effort made will pay off and will be materialized for the Albanian people and all processes will be carried out in an accountable and transparent way.
We have actually already started the process, as you know. You signed by yourself of the day of Feb 17 the first tranche of 15 million euros. We are actually at the point where thanks to the very effective collaboration with the UNDP to have this 15 million euros very soon actionable. Actually we are waiting for the end of this week to deliver the first output of this initial sum of 15 million euros.
And then we have discussed with the Minister the ways how to focus and organize our contribution towards reconstruction of houses and buildings. You mentioned the coordination among the coordinators. It is absolutely important that we are all together. We have discussed a lot with our international partners during the preparation of the Damage Assessment Report which was a success in itself and we need to continue to do so. So it is absolutely important that we coordinate with you, but also among ourselves. And we don’t want to create a new structure, as we have already a format in place, which is the format of partners for cooperation and development and this platform should work to make sure that there no mismatch between pledges, sectors and mechanisms and what is practically happening.
As far as other challenges, I would say you are challenging us as EU and we like it. We also welcome Minister Ahmetaj’s offer for participation in the Albanian monitoring and oversight structure and we definitely tend to mobilize the expertise that will become at the disposal of the State Commission.  I will then see with the Minister the technicalities of attaching the relevant specialized personnel to this Commission and to the Minister’s office. And yes, there are deadlines that should be met and we know it very well, but be aware that we are working around the clock, day and night, to make sure that this is happening. For example, I will fly to Brussels tonight and I want go there only for this, but a big rendezvous is going to take place in three weeks, but this will also be part of my trip. These discussions will be part of talks and meetings in Brussels where I will be meeting people in charge of disbursing our funds and see how these funds are disbursed as soon as possible. So, it will be a full support and concrete contribution, not only in terms of financial pledges, but also in terms of assistance on the ground.
U.S. Ambassador Yuri Kim: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you very much for convening this meeting. We welcome this opportunity to hear about your plans and how you will rebuild after the Nov tragedy last year.
The United States is very happy to have been part of the Donors’ Conference hosted by the EU. The extraordinary results of this Conference represent not only an expression of solidarity with the Albanian people, but also a symbolic and real investment for Albania. So it is a pleasure for us to see you organizing yourselves, to accomplish what you already said, which must be a transparent, accountable and productive process. For the US, it is the first time for us to stand by you in a difficult moment, but it will not be the last. We will continue to be with you. We will provide the technical assistance you may need to ensure that donations from countries around the world, including our donations, are properly spent for the benefit of the Albanian citizens.
Thank you!
Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey Murat Ahmet Yörük: Thank you Mr. Prime Minister! Dear Ministers and dear colleagues!
I would also like to thank Mr. Prime Minister for hosting this meeting and offering us the opportunity to share with you the latest developments from our side. As you are kindly aware, from the day one, Turkey mobilized all its resources in order to assist our Albanian brothers and sisters in order to cope with the tragedy and the consequences of the earthquake last year. As you are aware, our President, Mr. Erdogan has made a commitment to support building of 500 houses for our Albanian brothers. And as you were attending one of those meetings of two other international platforms in Istanbul that are expected to mobilize other parts of the world to join our pledges to help Albania. I would say that like other countries, we have already made our commitment and announced our pledge at the International Donors’ Conference in Brussels, an event hosted by the EU and the EU administration in Brussels. Before coming to this meeting, Mr. Prime Minister, I had actually a round of talks with our authorities in Ankara and I would like to share some recent good news with you.
But of course, you all are aware that in January we experienced equally tragic back-to-back earthquakes in Turkey and many people lost their lives. We have also sustained extensive material damages due to the earthquakes. Of course, these are unpleasant developments, if I may say so, with recent events in Syria with the attacks from the regime there, where they are murdering people and forcing civilians towards the Turkish border. Of course, these all are unwanted developments and may be they have influenced a little bit in terms of materialization of our pledge. However, I have been informed by our authorities that the Memorandum of Understanding on starting the reconstruction process is from our side ready to be signed and we will inform your government through the official channels about the signing of the Memorandum.
In the meantime, the finalization of the project’s masterplan will be dealt through the videoconference between our two sides today. While the decision on funding the project will be signed very soon by our President within a week or so and immediately after that the tendering procedures will follow. It will end with that procedure. The procedure will take 1 to 2 weeks and our authorities hope to be able to come to Albania by the end of this month and complete all different bureaucratic procedures and begin the construction phase by the end of March.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much all of you, not only for the kind words, but also important words!
I want to share with you something and I hope you will all agree that based on the very successful experience we have had together with the World Bank, the United Nations, the UNDP, as well as with the EU experts in writing the post-disaster needs report that is very much appreciated and practically make me proud to go through it in such an audience, because the report is very much convincing. However, I think it could have been very good and we should make it happen. So, this Commission should present a report and it would be very nice if your experts were to join this process together with the Minister for Reconstruction to unveil the report that should guarantee full information and transparency for everyone you represent. A report that can be presented once in two or three weeks, or in monthly basis, something that should be decided by experts, and a spending review once the spending starts.
The report will be released both in English for you and in Albanian for the Albanians and it will be also shared on our website about the reconstruction program, where we want to make sure that everyone being involved after having lost their houses or having sustained other severe damages that need to be addressed, or the fact that kids need to go to school, can follow online where things stand with the process, and how they are reported, how they find themselves in relation to this process and how it is the situation for the area, for example, what is the procedure, what is the plan and have the opportunity to see the plan for themselves, look at the typologies of houses to be built, see with their own eyes the new schools being built and so on have the opportunity to see the development through videos and pictures. And also everyone else who will be interested in following developments, and they may be journalists, citizens, scholars and of course the opposition, who will have the opportunity to be updated in real time.
So, this is the idea and we need simply to have an internal discussion with experts to define the report’s format and define also the timing. So, I think it would be good for everyone and the donors, not only from the European Commission, but also individual EU member states that have made their own pledges, but also everyone else, to receive continuous reports about reconstruction, because they are contributing and of course it is important for them to have their own eyes to see what is their contribution. But I am sure they would be very happy to see that we are transparent and willing to share everything with them.
That’s it and I very much hope we will be able to coordinate consistently and move forward fast as speed is absolutely very important. We can’t tell people “look, we are not going to do it yet, because this friend of that friend has his own procedures.” We do of course know that the European Union procedures are typically long, but we are not going to tell people “you know how things work with the European Union.” That’s why I very much wish that what you said it will be a big day in three weeks will be really a big day, but we were prepared for such big days in the past. We were well-dressed, we had our bride perfectly shining, we were waiting at the table with our most beautiful hospitality products, yet you didn’t show up. So this time it will be other way round. If you do it, we will run and come to you. So the wedding will be just decided by you this time and not by us. But we are prepared to come there. We just have to put on the clothes we have prepared since I don’t know how many years from now and they are waiting to be finally used. I said it publicly, but I couldn’t do it differently.
This is also an opportunity to share with the public our deepest condolences for what happened in the back-to-back earthquakes, as you said, and also extend the most heartfelt condolences for the lives of your soldiers and you know we are very sincere in all that and we wish the best for your people.
And by the way I want to express my gratitude that despite all that …you actually had a delay, but imagine they call it a delay a week. OK, I will stop it here and go on with the presentation.
Without wanting to take more of your precious time, I would like to ask our friends from UN and UNDP say something, but first, I would like to thank you very much for your help, because you played an essential in preparing the report and not only. And it is also very important for us to build on this work which, as I pointed out, the Minister stressed it too, and as pointed out by the U.S. and EU ambassadors, transparency is very important, as well as information, so, not just transparency to make sure the procedures are right, but also information. People in these situations have the absolute right to know day by day what is going on and when they will move into their homes, so please decide who will take the floor first.