KORÇA, OCTOBER 26, 2011     Today USAID’s Albanian Justice Sector Strengthening Project (JuST),in cooperation with the Albanian Foundation for Conflict Resolution (AFCR) held the first of three roundtables in Korça, with representatives from the Regional Chamber of Advocates, the local business community, and civil society organizations to encourage the use of mediation as an extrajudicial, faster and less costly alternative for resolution of conflicts between parties. The promotional campaign follows a public awareness campaign launched in September with the slogan, “Resolving commercial and family disputes through mediation – A win-win alternative!” In June, USAID and the Korça District Court opened a court-connected Mediation Center, where AFCR’s mediators provide mediation services for the resolution of family and commercial disputes.

In June, USAID and the Korça District Court opened a court-connected Mediation Center, where AFCR’s mediators provide mediation services for the resolution of family and commercial disputes.

Also in September and October, USAID provided basic and advanced professional training seminars on family and commercial mediation for more than 20 mediators in the Korça Mediation Center’s.  The training, designed in compliance with the new mediation law (2011), will support professional licensing of new mediators who will be added to the existing staff of the Center.

USAID is also supporting the Durrës Court-Connected Mediation Center and intends to support an additional third mediation center in Albania, which will help reduce courts caseloads and contribute to judicial efficiency.

The five-year USAID Albanian Justice Sector Strengthening Project (JuST), begun in October 2010, aims at increasing court transparency, fairness and efficiency; bolstering watchdog and anticorruption roles of civil society organizations and media; and strengthening the legal profession and legal education in Albania.