|
EBRD shareholder representatives visit Albania
A delegation of the EBRD Board of Directors arrives in Albania on Thursday for
a 2½-day visit that involves meetings with senior government officials,
including Namik Dokle, Deputy Prime Minister, and with local and foreign
business leaders. They will also meet with representatives from the
international community based in the country and will visit a number of
projects in which the EBRD has invested.
Representatives of the Board in the delegation include Byung-II Kim, Korea,
Australia, New Zealand and Egypt, Ib Katznelson, for Denmark, Ireland,
Lithuania and FYR of Macedonia, Imre Tarafas, for Hungary, Czech Republic,
Slovak Republic and Croatia, Kalin Mitrev, for Bulgaria, Poland and Albania,
Michael Neumayr, for Austria, Israel, Cyprus, Malta, Kazakhstan and Bosnia &
Herzegovina, Scott Clark, for Canada and Morocco, Simon Ray, for the UK, and
Tomas Danestad, for Sweden, Iceland and Estonia. They will be accompanied by
Giulio Moreno, Head of the EBRD’s office in Albania.
The visit will serve to underline the importance the EBRD attaches to
supporting investments and reforms in Albania. Within the past two months, the
Bank signed projects in the country worth around €65 million. A $30 million
loan to Fushe Kruja Cement Factory will support Albania’s cement industry,
helping to meet the country’s growing demands and reducing the country’s
reliance on cement imports, while a €40 million loan to Korporata
Elektroenergjetike Shqiptare the state-owned power utility will help improve
power supply for residents and businesses across the country. The Bank’s
Directors will emphasise to authorities the EBRD’s commitment to build on such
projects.
The EBRD is one of the largest investors in Albania, having approved around
€231 million in 18 projects, in sectors ranging from power to telecoms and
insurance and banking to property and tourism.
|
