Vienna Economic Forum – Tirana Meeting, held under the patronage of H.E. Prof. Dr. Sali BERISHA, Prime Minister of Albania, was a great success. The forum was attended by more than 250 participants from 20 countries, including 33 companies from Austria, 140 companies from the region, as well as representatives from the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Energy Community Secretariat Vienna.
Dr. Erhard Busek, President of Vienna Economic Forum and former Vice Chancellor of Austria, in his opening statement, highlighted Albania’s excellent economic development in recent years and the investment opportunities that are attracting foreign investors.
Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva, Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum, emphasized the critical role of regional cooperation as a prerequisite for the economic development of the entire region. Cooperation is also crucial for exchanging information on economic interests.
Several Albanian ministers and government officials participated in Vienna Economic Forum – Tirana Meeting, contributing as speakers and engaging in bilateral discussions:
• H.E. Ms. Jozefina Topalli, Speaker of the Albanian Government
• H.E. Mr. Genc Ruli, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Energy of the Republic of Albania
• H.E. Mr. Sokol Olldashi, Minister of Public Works, Transportation, and Telecommunication of the Republic of Albania
• H.E. Minister Nard Ndoka, Minister for Health of the Republic of Albania
• Mr. Florjon Mima, Deputy Minister for Finance of the Republic of Albania
An Austrian parliamentary delegation participated with high-ranking members:
• Dr. Michael Spindelegger, Second President of the Austrian Parliament
• Ms. Christa Kranzl, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation, and Technology of the Government of Austria
• Mr. Wolfgang Großruck, Chairman of the parliamentary Group Austria-Albania of the Austrian Parliament
• Ms. Ursula Haubner, Member of the Austrian National Council
• Mr. Stefan Schennach, Member of the Austrian Federal Council
• Mr. Andreas Schieder, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Austrian Parliament
• Mr. Wolfgang Zanger, Member of the Austrian National Council
As a significant part of the forum, showcasing the strong cooperation between Albania and Austria, the “Ceremony of Signing of the Agreement on Technology-related Cooperation in the Health Sector” took place. This agreement was signed by H.E. Minister Nard Ndoka, Minister for Health of the Republic of Albania, and Ms. Christa Kranzl, State Secretary at the Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation, and Technology. This marks a practical outcome of Austrian-Albanian cooperation.
The topics of the three plenary sessions were:
• Investment Policy: How to support and develop investors’ interests and investment projects in Albania
• The European Priorities in the Energy Sector for Regional Development
• Sustainable Economic Development in the Region – Cases of Problems, Needs, and Solutions in Various Economic Sectors
After two days of intensive discussions and meetings, we received much positive feedback from participants from different countries, along with new ideas for further cooperation in the region.
