Prishtina, 23.10.2013 – As part of activities related to the process of Kosovo’s membership in EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative), a delegation of the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) held a a working meeting with the secretariat of ALBEITI.

The MED delegation, composed of Ministers’ Advisers, Gazmend Ahmeti and Genc Hajdini, and MED officials, Kemajl Zeqiri, Officer for the EITI Membership Initiative, and Faith Veselaj, Head of the Sector Strategies Division, was received by executives of the ALBEITI Secretariat, Shkëlqim Hysaj and Agim Shehu, Economic Coordinator, and members of the Working Group (MSG) representatives of the Ministry Energy and Industry (MEI) and Civil Society.

Discussions were held on the experience and challenges of Albania in the membership process, specifically on the work of the Albanian Secretariat on EITI Membership (ALBEITI), and the work of the overall Working Group (MSG).

In addition, they have addressed and provided basic knowledge on the main principles and criteria of EITI as a global standard which promotes transparency of incomes generated and paid to the state by the extractive industry, good governance and accountability in the sector.

Another topic of discussion was the interest of various European and global countries after the 6th Global EITI Conference to familiarize with the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), including more democratically and economically developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, etc.

Both delegations agreed to deepen the cooperation, whereas the Albanian Secretariat ALBEITI expressed his readiness to support Kosovo’s membership process in EITI, through cooperation and provision of assistance in all phases of the process.