ALBANIA, 23/24 MARCH 2004

Details and Press Materials

The Commission Report was launched in Albania during the 23-24 March National Conference Toward EU Integration and Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through the National Strategy for Social and Economic Development, held in Tirana. The Conference - hosted by the Ministry of Finance with the technical and financial support of the United Nations Development Program and United Nations Country Team in Albania - took as its overall theme the integration of social, economic, and development frameworks in Albania at national, regional, and local levels. Over 200 national and international representatives of the public and private sector, civil society, and donor community came together for public discussion and debate, and key note addresses included those by the Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Fatos Nano, and five of his Cabinet Members, as well as by the Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS, Mr. Kalman Mizsei.

The Report was translated into Albanian by the UNDP Country Office and was presented during the National Conference by Mr. Soren Petersen, a UNDP adviser on business partnerships. The Report was extensively discussed before and after the launch in bilateral meetings with donors, government agencies, business associations and companies.

Press

The National Conference was covered comprehensively by Albanian printed and electronic media. A list of television channels and newspapers that covered the event are provided below.

The following Albanian television stations broadcast news stories on the National Conference:

• Albanian Public TV Station
• TVA
• Vizion Plus
• ALSAT
• Neser TV
• News 24
• Top Channel Klan
• ETV ATN 1
• Gjeli TV KOHA

With the exception of Top Channel and Klan, all other television channels broadcast detailed chronicles of the first day of the event. Three television stations broadcast reports also on the second day of the conference, including interviews with the Head of the NSSED Department, Mr. Civici, Mr. Engjell Shkreli, National Expert on Development Financing, and Mr. Soren Peterson, UNDP Consultant on Private Sector Partnerships.

1. Gazeta Shqiptare, 24 March, pg. 5
Nano: How we will reduce poverty - economic growth and investment. Ways to reduce poverty, economic development and millennium development goals are the issues discussed among government representatives and international institutions in a common conference. NSSED has been baptized as the program for poverty reduction. According to the Prime Minister the NSSEED objectives serve to achieve within 2015 the Millennium Development Goals.

2. Albania, 24 March, pg. 13
Mizsei: Albania, ok with the strategies. The Director of UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe emphasized during the Conference on EU Integration, Millennium Development Goals and NSSED that Albania is in a favorable situation for the development of this strategy. IMF requests project implementation. Res. Rep. of IMF in Tirana stated in the Conference that the challenges for the implementation of the NSSED have been defined and that measures are being taken from the government and donor community.

3. Albania, 24 March, pg. 10
Economic Development - The Strategies. The full speech of the Prime Minister has been published.

4. Shekulli, 24 March, pg. 5
During the conference on economic and social development the internationals expressed their reserves on Albanian economy. UNDP: According to Mr. Kalman Mizsei, RBEC Director, the 6% economic growth could have been higher. This is a respectful pace but it could be accelerated to 8-9%. Rama: There is no sustainable development because development stands out of the system. Eddie, Rama, Mayor of Tirana, requested that projects must integrate people in the work market and not treat them with economic aid.

5. Korrieri, 22 March, pg. 6
Integration - Mr. Kalman Mizsei arrived in Tirana. He will also participate in the National Conference "Toward EU Integration and the MDGs through NSSED".

6. Panorama, 22 March, pg 10
UNDP Conference on poverty reduction - Nano: Poverty can not be reduced with slogans; Rama: Economically and realistically we are a thousand years behind. UNDP: 6% economic growth could be higher

7. Zeri I Popullit,
On Focus-the SA process, NSSED and MDGs - Nano: poverty reduction can only be achieved through implementation of all strategies that unite the contributions and capacities of Albanian society; Malaj: NSSED a tool serving integration into the European family and the achievement of the MDGs. Angjeli: Overall and sustainable economic growth; Islami: NSSED, the most important document approved by the government;

8. Korrieri, 24 March, pg. 8
UNDP Report: 500 000 Albanians live in extreme poverty - UNDP introduced yesterday (23 March) the financial costs to reduce extreme poverty and achieve the MDGs.

9. Rilindja Demokratike, 25 March, pg. 9
Mizsei: Few investments in the country - Mr. Mizsei arrived and participated in a National Conference organized by UNDP, UNCT Albania, the government and donors. According to him the development pace must be higher, at least reaching the figures 8-9%.