1. Background

The “Enhancing the Development of Albanian Maritime Sector through Technical Assistance and Increased Partnership” project, aims to enhance the integration of Albanian Maritime Standards in line with the EU requirements’. The Blue Economy Programme for Albania and the respective set of programmatic project fiches were developed following a participatory approach and in consultation and cooperation with line Ministries in charge. This programme is in line with the EU Blue Economy Report 2021.

Through four components, the Blue Economy Programme has sought to: (a) improve institutional and human capacity for delivering the maritime economy (b) create appropriate financial mechanisms to support private sector by improving public fishery related infrastructure, (c) establish the Albanian coast as a new marina tourism hub, as well as a connectivity hubs in the region and broader, and (d) consolidate tourism hubs (clusters) and maritime ecosystems by securing provisions of financial support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), fishermen and other entrepreneurs in the vicinity of ports.

The consultation process will continue so as to further endorse it and strengthen the national capacities for the implementation of the National Blue Economy Programme components and the potential of the (green) blue economy transition to promote resilient, low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive economic development, a capacity building programme is in the framing process with the counterparties in line with objective one and two of the project.

The above will benefit the Government of Albania’s efforts to tackle regional experience for the protection, improvement, and integrated management of the sea environment and of cross-border natural resources.

Cross cutting issues that are tackled focus in promoting awareness about the macro potential in terms of new technologies, aquaculture and fisheries, marine protected areas and climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as the direct contribution to SDG14 and interlinkages of all SDGs.

2. Purpose of the grant and duration

The purpose of this call for grants is to support interested CSOs (Civil Society Organizations) to contribute to improving capacities under the fourth pillar of consolidating tourism hubs (clusters) and maritime ecosystems, through innovative solutions to:
 

#1: Create solutions, products, services to empower circularity and sustainability for coastal tourism using digitalization and digital technologies by facing specific needs or by making citizens and tourists conscious about their impact in the ecosystem to improve their habits.

#2: Develop solutions, products, tools and services to increase efficiency, sustainability and circularity in ports activities applying digitalization and digital technologies.

#3: Solutions, products and services related to the circular economy for climate change mitigation and marine ecosystems protection.

3.  Submission Process

Applications (grant proposals) in the mandatory form of the template attached (Annex A) must be submitted by CSOs to the UNDP Office in Tirana (registry.al@undp.org) no later than 3 of June 2022 in English