A World Bank team visited Tirana during April 15-19, 2019, to provide implementation support to the Integrated Planning System (IPS 2) project (P129332 & P159520), focusing on Component 3 (Development and Integration of Management Information Systems). The Bank team consisted of Ms. Evis Sulko (Sr. Country Operations Officer & TTL), Mr. Cem Dener (Lead Governance Specialist), Orjana Ibrahimi (Procurement Specialist), and Ms. Odeta Bulo (Sr. Executive Assistant). The objective of this visit was to monitor the progress in the implementation of Albania Financial Management Information System (AFMIS), External Assistance Management Information System (EAMIS), and Integrated Planning System (IPSIS), and discuss the project team’s plans for change management activities and possible extension of the project closing date (6-9 months) to ensure successful completion of remaining activities and going live with new systems in 2020.

The Bank team met with the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE), Department for Development, Financing and Foreign Aid (DDFA) at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the National Agency for Information Society (NAIS), and development partners. The team also met with the Department of Public Administration (DoPA) to clarify their plans for HRMIS/Payroll system rollout.  The bank team took part in the donor government workshop held on 17 April 2019 and the technical meeting with focus groups on the next day.  Main findings of this mission as well as recommendation were shared with all high government officials and Minister of Finance and Economy, Mrs. Denaj