EBRD Mulls €60mln Loan on Albania Tourism-Enabling Infrastructure

TIRANA, December 11

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering providing a loan facility consisting of a sovereign loan of up to EUR 60 million to the government of Albania. The loan would finance tourism-enabling infrastructure sub-projects in Berat, Korca, Fier, and Shkodra and general municipal and transport infrastructure sub-projects across Albania.
Investments in infrastructure and tourism-related businesses will aim at tackling issues that are currently hampering the tourism sector in Albania.

Therefore, those goals would improve Albania’s competitiveness and economic growth through high quality and sustainable tourism.
Thus EBRD is looking for a consultant to support the establishment of a Sector Skills Council (SSC) to guide the education policy in the tourism and hospitality sector within the IPA Action Program.
“SSC is an internationally recognized model for aligning skills supply with demand and alleviating skills mismatches at the sectoral level. The SSC would also help to shape human capital development policy within the sector (e.g. skills standards, occupational standards, dual learning models, etc.) based on international best practices and in line with the requirements of employers,” EBRD’s TOR assignment points out.

The selected Consultant is expected to provide the following services:

1. Identifying the key stakeholders of the tourism sector in Albania.
2. Conducting a mobilization and information campaign to raise awareness of the purpose and benefits of a Sectors Skills Council.
3. Providing capacity building to key decision making senior officials within the Ministry of Education and other relevant state bodies for the creation of a Sectors Skills Council, and to the Sectors Skills Council once it is established.
4. Create a public-private Steering Group which would select a Shadow Board to lead the development of the Sector Skills Council for Tourism and Hospitality (SSC) by identifying senior public and private sector representatives of the tourism and hospitality industry willing to take a leading role in the development and operation of the SSC.
5. Establishing partnerships with key external stakeholders such as government, NGOs, international organizations to ensure support to the SSC.
6. Supporting the development of a Labor Market Information assessment to identify market demands and priorities in the sector.
7. Providing detailed annual progress reports to EBRD.
All interested applicants can submit their application by 10 January 2020.

Find out more HERE

Source: EBRD

Photo Credit: Abdulla Diku