S&T Country Report - Albania - WBC-INCO Net

- USAID/MEGA (Municipal Economic Growth Activity) Project
The purpose of the MEGA (Municipal Economic Growth Activity) Project is to develop
the skills of local governments and local business groups to foster economic growth
and job creation, assist them to put these concepts and skills into practice, and to
create a business friendly environment where the private sector can flourish.
The goal of the MEGA Project is to help local governments (160+ local governments
in Serbia) to create new jobs; establish new businesses; attract investments; and
establish Private-Public-Partnerships.
The MEGA Program Strategy includes:
- Promote the adoption of policies which promote a positive business
environment;
- Create institutional capacities for local government to support economic
development;
- In partnership with private sector, develop and implement realistic and
comprehensive Local Economic development (LED) strategic plans; and
- Provide support for municipal LED efforts.
- USAID/Community Revitalisation through Democratic Action (CRDA)
Programme
The Programme provides support in economic development activities along with civic
participation, environmental management and infrastructure ($200 million over 5
years).
1.4 Financing
The vast majority of programmes and projects supporting development of innovation
infrastructure are financed by: European Commission (IPA - Instrument for Preaccession),
World Bank, USAID (MEGA Project), GTZ (Germany), SPARK, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (Business Start-up Center Kragujevac, BSC
Kosovo), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA Sweden),
SINTEF Norway, ADA (Austria), Swiss Development Corporation (Switzerland),
Stabilisation and Association Process; CARDS Programme, the Stability Pact for
South Eastern Europe, the European Investment Bank, European Fund for South
East Europe (EFSE), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
UN agencies, such as UNESCO, UNIDO, UNDP, UNECE, OSCE are also very
active.
Having a closer look at some of the major donor, following activities were supported:
- Serbian and Norwegian governments is financing via ENTRANSE\SINTEF
Project Team the Business Incubator Center Niš;
- USAID funded legal framework support and several projects working on
cluster development and competitiveness; several project implemented e.g.
MEGA Project supported establishment of Business Incubator Subotica (BIS);
- GTZ funded e.g. establishment of enterprise development centres in Novi
Sad and Subotica and business linkages support;
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