Whether in the consultations on reform policy or as monitors of reforms, civic actors play a decisive role in holding government or courts accountable. The Private Sector and Civil Society Engagement Component of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Albania Threshold Program II aims to strengthen public trust in public administration and the courts by boosting public oversight of these institutions.

The program’s Private Sector and Civil Society Engagement Component works to achieve the following results:

Civil society groups’ ability to advocate for new laws and policies increased. While seeking private sector and civil society input on reforms, the program will support advocacy efforts by business associations and other nonprofit organizations (NPOs) to advocate for tougher anti-corruption measures, draft secondary legislation, produce policy papers on relevant issues, and facilitate stakeholders’ policy dialogue on program-supported reforms.

Ability of civil society groups to monitor reforms enhanced. The program will further the practice of citizen oversight by supporting monitoring of reforms. Funds will be used to train businesses on services and mechanisms developed with program support, such as the National Planning Register, the new tax functions, the Administrative Court, National Licensing Center; to train citizens to monitor these institutions, such as the Administrative Court and the National Planning Registry; to conduct client satisfaction surveys of the NLC, the taxpayer services, and the Administrative Court.

Civil society organizations strengthened. Based on an initial advocacy capacity assessment, the program will provide technical assistance and training to business associations and advocacy NPOs, which will be encouraged to use media to reach the public, mobilize constituencies for reform, and build coalitions. 

The outcomes of the project's activities in support of the egagement of private sector and civil society include:

• Drafting of the secondary legislation for the administrative court, the National Licensing Center, and the National Planning Registry by Albanian think tanks and its consultation with the private sector and advocacy NPOs;
• Usage by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) of innovative monitoring tools to monitor the administrative court and other program-supported institutions;
• Completion of at least 13 advocacy and monitoring initiatives by business associations and NPOs;
• Involvement of about 120 business people and other citizens in monitoring the administrative court and other institutions established with program’s support;
• Training of more then 100 civil society leaders and managers on advanced advocacy skills and tools. 

CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT: GOALS AND TARGETS   Encourage and support advocacy and monitoring activities of nonprofit organizations and business associations related to anticorruption efforts of the MCC Albania Threshold Program ------------------------------------------------------------------------- CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT: PLANNED ACTIVITIES IN YEAR 1   Assess and strengthen advocacy capability of civil society groups   Engage groups in monitoring of reforms under the MCC Albania Threshold Program