The third phase of the Leave No One Behind (LNB3) Programme was officially launched in Tirana on 12 November 2025, with the participation of UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, and UNDP. The signing ceremony, held at the UN House, brought together key stakeholders including Albania’s Deputy Minister of Health and Social Welfare Denada Seferi, Swiss Ambassador Ruth Huber, and UN Resident Coordinator Ingrid Macdonald. The programme marks a continuation of Albania’s commitment to building inclusive and equitable social protection systems that respond effectively to the needs of all citizens.
Deputy Minister Seferi emphasized the programme’s national significance, noting that LNB3 is central to Albania’s ongoing social reform. She highlighted that the initiative is more than a slogan, representing a moral and political commitment to ensuring that every person in the country can live with dignity and access opportunities for a better life. The programme aims to embed these achievements sustainably within national structures, reinforcing Albania’s social protection framework.
Swiss Ambassador Ruth Huber underscored the strategic nature of this phase, which focuses on consolidating previous accomplishments, transferring effective models to public institutions, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Albania’s social reforms. She reaffirmed Switzerland’s continued support for Albania’s efforts to create inclusive social systems that leave no one behind. UN Resident Coordinator Ingrid Macdonald highlighted the programme’s alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, noting that LNB3 strengthens national and local capacities while advancing Albania’s broader development and EU integration ambitions.
As the lead agency, UNDP plays a central role in coordinating the programme, ensuring alignment between partners, and facilitating the transfer of tools, knowledge, and ownership to national institutions. Francisco Roquette, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, emphasized that this phase represents not an end, but a handover to national partners, helping Albania sustain and scale up social protection and inclusion reforms beyond the programme’s duration.
Funded by the Government of Switzerland with CHF 2 million, LNB3 (2026–2027) focuses on enhancing the capacities of national and local institutions to sustain and expand the results achieved in earlier phases. The programme prioritizes support for vulnerable and marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, Roma communities, older persons, and families in need. By working with both civil society and government institutions, LNB3 aims to embed sustainability, accountability, and quality service delivery within Albania’s social protection system, contributing directly to the country’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and supporting its EU accession objectives.
