15 July 2016, Conference of Ambassadors concludes proceedings
 
DURING THE FINAL DAY OF THE CONFERENCE OF AMBASSADORS, HEADS OF ALBANIAN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN THE WORLD ATTENDED TWO THEMATIC PANELS, WHICH ADDRESSED TOPICS RELATED TO DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF THE COUNTRY.
THE FIRST PANEL ON "PRIORITIZING DEVELOPMENT IN OUR REGION: ECONOMIC GROWTH, GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS", HAD AS PANELISTS BLENDI KLOSI, MINISTER OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND YOUTH, CIHAN SULTANOGLU, UN ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL AND UNDP REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES, ODETA BARBULLUSHI, DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND ELLEN GOLDSTEIN, WORLD BANK COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS.
PANELISTS HELD DISCUSSIONS ON FREEDOMS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. AN IMPORTANT TOPIC ADDRESSED DURING THIS PANEL WAS THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, WHICH AIM AT FIGHTING INEQUALITY AND PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF CITIZENS. IN ACCORDANCE TO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, ALBANIA IS COMMITTED TO RESPECTING HUMAN RIGHTS, STRENGTHENING WOMEN`S ROLE IN SOCIETY AND PROVIDING A REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FUTURE.
THE SECOND PANEL, ENTITLED "BEYOND CLASSIC DIPLOMACY", HAD AS KEYNOTE SPEAKERS MIRELA KUMBARO, MINISTER OF CULTURE AND ADRIAN PACI, ALBANIAN ARTIST OF WORLD CONTEMPORARY ART. IT FOCUSED ON THE COMMITMENT TO PROMOTE A POSITIVE IMAGE OF THE COUNTRY AND ROLE OF CULTURAL DIPLOMACY AS AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL TO ENSURE THE PROMOTION OF CULTURAL LIFE AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, BY MEANS OF TRADITIONAL, PUBLIC AND DIGITAL DIPLOMACY.
DURING THE LAST PART OF THE CONFERENCE, TALKS DWELT ON CONSULAR SERVICES AND THE REFORM UNDERTAKEN IN THIS REGARD, WITH A VIEW TO REPOSITION THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AS AN INSTITUTION THAT PROVIDES TRANSPARENT AND LOW COST SERVICES FOR ALBANIAN CITIZENS AROUND THE WORLD. PANELISTS HIGHLIGHTED RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK, STREAMLINING OF PRACTICES, MODERNIZATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE GROWTH, SPEED AND QUALITY OF CONSULAR SERVICES.
BY THE END OF THE CONFERENCE, HEADS OF ALBANIAN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN THE WORLD HELD A MEETING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ENTITLED "PROMOTING 'MADE IN ALBANIA' IN THE WORLD", ATTENDED BY MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, TRADE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP MILVA EKONOMI. THIS MEETING UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF INCREASING THE EXPORT OF ALBANIAN PRODUCTS, POTENTIAL THAT ALBANIA OFFERS TO FOREIGN INVESTORS AND COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES WITH REGARD TO OTHER REGIONAL COUNTRIES.