MEFA Ditmir Bushati, Launched at Tirana Business Park the Meeting
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Issue No. 37, November 2017 MEFA Ditmir Bushati, launched at Tirana Business Park the meeting with the Albanian Ambassadors “Redefining Economic Diplomacy: Challenges and Opportunities” ISSUE No.37, November 2017 • MEFA Ditmir Bushati, launched at Tirana Business Park the meeting with the Albanian Ambassadors “Redefining Economic Diplomacy: Challenges and Opportunities” • Why Albania now? - 2nd day of the meeting of the Albanian ambassadors in the world on redefining economic diplomacy • Prime Minister Rama: Albanian diplomacy not only a consumer but also a contributor to economic growth of the country • The second Conference of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati launched at Tirana trilateral (Albania-Croatia- Business Park, the proceedings of the three-day meeting with the Albanian Montenegro) was held in Durrës ambassadors around the World "Redefining Albanian Economic Diplomacy: Challenges and Opportunities". • Ninth meeting of the Stabilization and Association Council between In his speech, Minister Bushati pointed out the need for economic diplomacy in the Albania and the EU held in Brussels function of citizens' welfare and security. For this reason, he continued, "the best example is the European Union, where prosperity and cooperation between • Minister Bushati calls for greater countries in the function of economic development, has provided the greatest American engagement in facing the longevity of peace and security in the history of our continent." security challenges in Western Balkan For the Minister Bushati, the diplomatic service should overcome itself and the things it can do well, such as verbal grades, telegrams as well as diplomatic and • Bushati at the Atlantic Council: Our consular communication among the similars. It is necessary to acquire skills that Challenge, how to transform the respond to needs and reality, in which we live interconnected and dependent on West Balkans into a real region the developments outside us. • Minister for Europe and Foreign The head of Albanian diplomacy assessed that we need to organically integrate Affairs Ditmir Bushati meets with into our daily work, a new vision for the mission that was assigned to us. President Donald Trump's Security Advisor, General Herbert Raymond The first panel was devoted to Albanian entrepreneurship abroad, globalization McMaster and expansion modalities. The discussion took place among the ambassadors and the Union of Albanian Producers, the Albanian Tourism Association (ATA) and the • Minister Bushati celebrates the 105th Fason Chamber, who brought to attention the importance of Albanian anniversary of Independence and entrepreneurship and support it to be competitive abroad. Liberation Day in the U.S. This meeting lasted three days. The president attended this meeting, as well. • The Western Balkans Fund (WBF) presented today at the Ministry for During these 3 days, six panels shared ideas, concepts, practices and experiences. Europe and Foreign Affairs its first The aim was to identify, define, design and build together the path and the call for regional projects proposals directions we will follow in terms of reshaping and strengthening the role of our economic diplomacy. Why Albania now? - 2nd day of the meeting of the Albanian ambassadors in the world on redefining economic diplomacy The meeting with the Ambassadors of the Republic of Albania Panelists also discussed exchanging information between in the World "Redefining Albanian Economic Diplomacy: embassies and institutions to enhance the lobbying role, Challenges and Opportunities" concluded the proceedings of so that the results are tangible. The reshuffle of economic the second day. The proceedings were opened with the diplomacy requires a reorganization to have positive greeting of the President of the Republic, Mr. Ilir Meta. results and the definition of priorities should be in the long run. He stressed the role of foreign policy consolidation as a factor of stability in the region. President Meta focused inter alia on Minister of Tourism and Environment, Blendi Klosi, the role of the new and old diaspora in relation to investments pointed to the need to build internal policies to absorb in Albania and attracting foreign investors to our country. He investment in tourism. He, also highlighted that tourism underlined that "Albanians abroad have equally large should become a manufacturing industry for our potential as the Albanians inside, because unfortunately the country. most vital and qualified part of our society today is abroad. Hence, a better relation with them would positively influence Minister of State on Entrepreneurship, Sonila Qato, spoke the country's promotion abroad to foster foreign investment. of foreign investors operating in a business environment, following concrete government initiatives to streamline At today's meeting, the discussion panels focused on legal procedures for business development in Albania. presenting the engagements and reforms undertaken by the She also underscored that part of the work of the Albanian government for legislative changes and new representatives, should be the attraction of Albanian approach to co-ordination of work with business and shaping investors or Albanian businesses, which operate in the international image of Albania. In this context, Minister of countries outside Albania. These countries can contribute Economy and Finance, Arben Ahmetaj, said that it is with their experience and capacities. important to move to a new phase of economic diplomacy, which is related to the promotion of Albania for the benefit of Albanian ambassadors in the world, have also been able as many foreign investors as possible. According to him, to get acquainted with the way of developing economic statistics show that foreign investments have reached the diplomacy in developed countries such as Sweden and value of 1.1 billion euros. the Netherlands. They could also listen to the problems and positive experiences of large German and American Further, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Damian investments in Albania. Gjiknuri said that our country has great potential in the energy and mining sector. Major works are being built in the The meeting with the Albanian Ambassadors in the energy sector and others are in development. It should be world in the presence of Prime Minister Edi Rama. important to absorb investment in the gas field based also on the impact that the TAP project had on the Albanian economy. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Niko Peleshi in his address emphasized the promotion of the potential that our country offers, especially the agriculture sector, which covers 30% of the country's GDP. Prime Minister Rama: Albanian diplomacy not only a consumer but also a contributor to economic growth of the country Prime Minister Edi Rama, in his opening speech on the last day of the meeting with Albanian ambassadors in the world, on economic diplomacy, asked once again that foreign service be in function of economic growth. He encouraged them not to be a consumer but to become one of the contributors to economic growth, the growth of foreign investment in particular sectors, at the central and local level. In this regard, he pointed out that the involvement, engagement and coordination of all institutions is essential to achieve this goal. He asked for the ambassadors’ support to overcome this transition phase. The discussions focused on co-operation and coordination, through formal and informal mechanisms, between structures in the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in dynamic partnership with state and non-state actors. Minister of State for Diaspora, Pandeli Majko, underlined that Albanian diaspora is an asset, which has a significant impact on the development of the country, focusing on the fact that our representatives should be the point of reference for its organization. At the end of the three-day meeting, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati made a summary of the results achieved during the discussions. He underscored the necessity for a new approach, which has already begun in the context of economic diplomacy as well as the need to organize the work of our representatives in this regard. The second Conference of the trilateral (Albania-Croatia-Montenegro) was held in Durrës At the initiative of Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, The trilateral meeting between Albania, Croatia and Ditmir Bushati, took place in Durrës on November 17th, the Montenegro is a good example of how true countries second Trilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Albania, join efforts to give more synergies to the common Croatia and Montenegro. regional agenda, and to consolidate the stance on internal challenges and those that are imported from This platform, which was launched at the first meeting of the conflicting regions. foreign ministers of the three countries, this February in Split, Croatia, serves the joint efforts to consolidate cooperation in The Foreign Ministers of the three countries assessed Adriatic Europe and for a common action in the interest of a at the end of this meeting the need to expand the more secure and interconnected region in all dimensions. trilateral cooperation platform with senior representatives and experts in the fields of interest. During the Trilateral Meeting, the Ministers of Albania, In this way, the ideas and proposals presented in Croatia and Montenegro focused on the cooperation and Trilateral can be materialized and translated into