An agreement signed between IOM and the International Labour
Organization (ILO) this week in Geneva will support the Albanian
government and other stakeholders in the country involved in
migration, to enhance the economic, social and political impact of
migrant remittances.

Through a series of joint activities funded by the Italian
Foreign Ministry and involving various migration stakeholders at
local and national levels as well as the Albanian diaspora, a
national interagency working group on remittances will be
established. The working group will be expected to formulate a
draft action plan on enhancing the impact of remittances which
would have to be endorsed by the Albanian government.

Albanian embassies and consulates and Albanian migrants
associations in Italy and Greece will be provided training on
improving communications with Albanian migrants and on raising
awareness of the opportunities for formal remittance transfers and
investment in Albania.

Market research to be carried out in two target areas of Albania
will also help in the creation of a set of measures and mechanisms
aimed at facilitating the investment of remittances for income
generating activities which in turn would promote local, regional
and national economic development.

It is estimated that more than 20 per cent of the Albanian
labour force is now abroad and that a minimum of US$ 650 million
(approximately 20 per cent of GDP) was sent home by Albanian
migrants in 2003, making Albania one of the most
remittances-dependent countries in the world.

For further information please contact:

Miriam Neziri Angoni

Public Information Officer

Tel: ++ 355 4 257 836

Teuta Grazhdani

Project Manager

IOM Albania

Tel: ++ 355 4 257 836