This paper explores the fiscal effects of aid in Ethiopia, using national data from 1960 to 2009, which is a longer series than most studies in this literature. This data includes the measure of aid that is flowing through the budget as measured by the recipient. We use the Cointegrated VAR methodology to model complex long run and short run dynamics amongst the following variables: aid grants, aid loans, tax revenue, non-tax revenue, and public expenditure. We also estimate an alternative model, where expenditure is disaggregated into capital and recurrent components (with aggregated domestic revenues to preserve degrees of freedom) in order to explore aid-spending relationships. The CVAR analysis is complemented by an in-depth qualitative understanding of the Ethiopian context, which ensures sound model specification and sensible interpretation of estimated results. Taking into account the major political regime changes, the data suggests three main conclusions regarding long run equilibrium relationships: government long-term spending plans are based on domestic sources, treating aid as an additional source of revenue; aid is positively associated with, and adjusts to, spending, with a particularly strong relation between capital expenditure and grants; and both grants and loans are positively related to tax revenue, both in the long and in the short-run.
In March 2020, the European Union decided to open accession negotiations with Albania, candidate country since 2014. In order to achieve this important goal in the long path of European integration, Albania had to pursue a set of requirements. Among them, the centrality of human rights affects the implementation of policies aiming at integrating minorities, as well as at granting social rights to unprivileged citizens (La Cava Nanetti 2000, Solidar 2016). In this scenario, the evolution of the professional expertise of Albanian Social workers plays a relevant role. In academic and professional terms, social work has a poor tradition in Albania, as in most of post-communist countries (Hoti 2015). In order to face the difficulties of the professional and academic evolution of social work and to facilitate a process of Europeanisation of the Social Services delivery in Albania, the European Commission has funded the project T@sk Towards Increased Awareness, Responsibility and Shared Quality in Social Work (2017-2020). The main aim of the project consists in strengthening the delivery of Social Services in Albania through the empowerment of the Higher Education system in social work. The consortium includes all public universities offering BA and MA courses in social work in Albania – University of Tirana, University of Shkoder and University of Elbasan-, and the University of Florence, the UCM of Madrid, the ISCTE of Lisbon and the Professional Order of Social workers of the Tuscany Region as Higher Education institutions of the program countries. The project operates at three levels: peer-to peer theoretical and empirical update amongst the project partners; triangulation of knowledge, transdisciplinary cooperation with the societal stakeholders and digital innovation; selection and dissemination of best practices. The project is in its final stage, and it is possible to elaborate on the main theoretical and empirical framework adopted, on the results achieved, and on the challenges to create a favorable environment for the development of social work profession in Albania. The article attempts to shed some light in the pattern of evolution of social work practices in Albania, focusing on the social and cultural background of the country, and describing the main achievements of the T@sk project. ; En marzo de 2020, la Unión Europea decidió iniciar las negociaciones de adhesión con Albania, país candidato desde 2014. Para alcanzar este importante objetivo, en el largo camino de la integración europea, Albania tenía que cumplir con una serie de requisitos. Entre ellos, la centralidad de los derechos humanos que afecta a la aplicación de las políticas destinadas a integrar a las minorías, así como a conceder derechos sociales a los ciudadanos desfavorecidos (La Cava Nanetti 2000, Solidar 2016). En este escenario, la evolución de los conocimientos profesionales de los trabajadores sociales albaneses desempeña un papel relevante. En términos académicos y profesionales, el Trabajo Social tiene una escasa tradición en Albania, como en la mayoría de los países postcomunistas (Hoti 2015). Para hacer frente a las dificultades de la evolución profesional y académica del Trabajo Social y facilitar un proceso de europeización de la prestación de servicios sociales en Albania, la Comisión Europea ha financiado el proyecto T@SK "Towards Increased Awareness, Responsibility and Shared Quality in Social Work" (2017-2020). El objetivo principal del proyecto consiste en fortalecer la prestación de servicios sociales en Albania mediante la potenciación del sistema de Educación Superior en la formación de Trabajo Social. El consorcio incluye a todas las universidades públicas que ofrecen cursos de Grado y Máster en Trabajo Social en Albania -Universidad de Tirana, Universidad de Shkoder y Universidad de Elbasan- y a la Universidad de Florencia, la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, el ISCTE de Lisboa y el Colegio (l'Ordine) Profesional de Trabajadores Sociales de la Región Toscana como instituciones de Educación Superior de los países del programa. El proyecto funciona a tres niveles: actualización teórica y empírica entre los socios del proyecto; triangulación de conocimientos, cooperación transdisciplinaria con las partes interesadas de la sociedad e innovación digital; y la selección y difusión de las mejores prácticas. El proyecto se encuentra en su etapa final, y es posible elaborar el principal marco teórico y empírico adoptado, los resultados logrados y los retos para crear un entorno favorable al desarrollo de la profesión del Trabajo Social en Albania. El artículo trata de arrojar algo de luz sobre la evolución de las prácticas de Trabajo Social en Albania, centrándose en los antecedentes sociales y culturales del país y describiendo los principales logros del proyecto T@SK.
In March 2020, the European Union decided to open accession negotiations with Albania, candidate country since 2014. In order to achieve this important goal in the long path of European integration, Albania had to pursue a set of requirements. Among them, the centrality of human rights affects the implementation of policies aiming at integrating minorities, as well as at granting social rights to unprivileged citizens (La Cava Nanetti 2000, Solidar 2016). In this scenario, the evolution of the professional expertise of Albanian Social workers plays a relevant role. In academic and professional terms, social work has a poor tradition in Albania, as in most of post-communist countries (Hoti 2015). In order to face the difficulties of the professional and academic evolution of social work and to facilitate a process of Europeanisation of the Social Services delivery in Albania, the European Commission has funded the project T@sk Towards Increased Awareness, Responsibility and Shared Quality in Social Work (2017-2020). The main aim of the project consists in strengthening the delivery of Social Services in Albania through the empowerment of the Higher Education system in social work. The consortium includes all public universities offering BA and MA courses in social work in Albania – University of Tirana, University of Shkoder and University of Elbasan-, and the University of Florence, the UCM of Madrid, the ISCTE of Lisbon and the Professional Order of Social workers of the Tuscany Region as Higher Education institutions of the program countries. The project operates at three levels: peer-to peer theoretical and empirical update amongst the project partners; triangulation of knowledge, transdisciplinary cooperation with the societal stakeholders and digital innovation; selection and dissemination of best practices. The project is in its final stage, and it is possible to elaborate on the main theoretical and empirical framework adopted, on the results achieved, and on the challenges to create a favorable environment for the development of social work profession in Albania. The article attempts to shed some light in the pattern of evolution of social work practices in Albania, focusing on the social and cultural background of the country, and describing the main achievements of the T@sk project.
