18 Oct EITI Albania participates in the OSCE High Level Meeting in Vienna on the Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation 2018
OSCE organized on 15 and 16 October 2018 in Vienna a high-level meeting on Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation. Mr. Ardit Kamberi, Head of the EITI Secretariat, was invited to attend the meeting, as part of a national delegation consisting of representatives from the assembly/ parliament and representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. The meeting, which was opened by the OSCE Secretary General, Mr. Thomas Greminger, was attended by representatives from all OSCE members states, government officials and Central European Institutions, representatives of the US State Department, senior officials of the Italian Government which holds the OSCE Chairmanship, representatives of UNECE, World Bank, Energy Community Secretariat, IRENA, Energy Companies, etc.
The Meeting focused on important topics such as:
Global and Regional Energy Security; Efficient management of energy resources with regard to market and consumers so as to ensure sustainable, affordable and viable energy supply; the Challenges of the Energy Sector in the Digital Era; Protection of critical electricity systems and networks from natural disasters and terrorist attacks; Environmental Impacts from the Energy Sector and Climate Change; Public-Private Partnerships with a view to ensuring Good Governance and Innovation; Promotion of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency to enhance Sustainable Economic Development.
Panel speakers and representatives from many countries highlighted the importance of Strengthening Opportunities for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Energy Sector for OSCE participating states, Connectivity and Open Markets, Diversification of Energy Resources, and Security of energy transport routes, which should be at the focus of OSCE member states.
Discussions also focused on the importance of enforcing the decisions taken at the OSCE Meetings in Kiev, Athens, Madrid and Brussels, as well as the importance of meeting the COP objectives on Climate Change, which requires the doubling of the global share of RES by 2030 and the implementation of Energy Efficiency by 2030.
By addressing the strategic challenges related to the energy sector, non as an individual approach, but multilateral, co-operation in this sector can lead to political security, regional collaboration to ensure more attractive markets, job creation, social welfare and resolution of regional conflicts.
During the sessions and discussions of the meeting, the Head of the EITI Secretariat, Mr. Kamberi, pointed out the achievements of the EITI Secretariat in Albania regarding the promotion of Transparency in the Extractive Industries and Energy Sector as a meaningful indicator of the Albanian Government’s commitment to guarantee a sustainable and viable Energy Sector for foreign investors and implement New Business Models for a Free, Competitive and Open Market.
Electricity production in Albania relies mainly on renewable hydropower sources, which are considered environmentally friendly, and for this reason, the Albanian Government is currently working to promote the implementation of investments in Solar and Wind Power plants.
Noting that transparency is one of the most important components of International Dialogue and Cooperation, the Albanian delegation stated that EITI’s activity serves as an effective lever for raising public awareness, good resource management, inter-institutional cooperation and fight against corruption.
The National EITI Secretariat and the OSCE Mission in Albania are currently working to establish a consistent and fruitful cooperation platform in areas of mutual interest, transparency, public and local participation in decision-making processes related to Open Government, Environmental Impacts from Extractive Industries, Fight against Informality, with a view to ensuring Albania’s Integration in the European Union.