Connect Albania, an Ambitious Program for the Engagement of Albanian Diaspora on the Economic Development of Albania
The focus of the online meeting held on 15 January 2020 with participation of Mr. Pandeli Majko, State Minister for Diaspora; Ms. Alma Jani, Head of IOM Office in Albania; Mr. Besard Kadia, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy; Mr. Endri Xhaferaj, Programme Officer at Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Tirana; Ms. Manoela Lussi, Diaspora Programme Manager at IOM, as well as other representatives from Diaspora Institutions and Connect Albania Office, was to formalize the Connect Albania Unit, to discuss on Connect Albania structure, initial performance of Connect Albania after its launch on 18 of December 2020 and upcoming plans and vision for the new mechanism.
Minister Majko and Dp Minister Kadia highlighted that Connect Albania Program is a priority for the Government of Albania and emphasized the important role of the involved actors to strongly contribute on the first steps of its implementation.
Ms. Jani said that the “Connect” idea is based on the central role of the Albanian Diaspora members as Development Agents, who will intermediate and facilitate foreign direct investments to Albania. It is the first program that will serve directly to potential investments through members of Albanian Diaspora, aiming to create the foundations, experience and best practices to increasingly involve the Albanian Diaspora in the economic development of Albania through facilitating investments. She also mentioned the important role of the new structure formalized today.
Mr. Xhaferaj highlighted the importance to institutionalize the role of Development Agents to consider them economic ambassadors all over the world. He also stressed that a critical factor for the success of Connect Albania is the intergovernmental cooperation to support the program.
Connect Albania Program is an innovative investment boosting mechanism established in the framework of the IOM Albania Programme “Engage the Albanian Diaspora to the social and economic development of Albania”, implemented by the IOM Albania - the UN Migration Agency, with funding from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in close coordination with the Albanian State Minister for Diaspora, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Agency for Development Cooperation in Tirana (AICS).
