**IV Diaspora Summit in Tirana, focusing on investments, innovation and the strategic role of the diaspora**
The IV Diaspora Summit has started in Tirana, an important event taking place on April 13, 14 and 15, bringing together Albanians from different countries of the world on a common platform for cooperation and exchange of experiences.
The activity opened with a wide participation from representatives of the diaspora, state institutions and business actors, reflecting the growing interest in strengthening the ties between the diaspora and the country’s economic development. The first day was characterized by opening activities, while the summit has subsequently entered the phase of concrete discussions and thematic panels.
The proceedings are taking place at the Palace of Congresses, where a series of panels focused on economic development, innovation, entrepreneurship and investment opportunities have been organized. The discussions have focused on creating a stronger bridge of cooperation between the diaspora and Albanian institutions, as well as on identifying sectors with potential for investment.
One of the main panels of the summit was “Diaspora, partner in business and innovation”, where the Albanian Investment Development Agency also participated. In this panel, AIDA Director General Laura Saro emphasized that Albania is involved in a strong regional competition to attract foreign direct investment.
She underlined that Balkan countries are offering increasingly competitive policies for investors, including fiscal incentives, subsidies and other supporting incentives. In this context, according to her, Albania is working to increase its attractiveness and position itself as a serious investment destination, exploiting its potential in different sectors of the economy.
Saro also emphasized the importance of the Albanian diaspora, describing it as a strategic asset for the country. According to her, the diaspora represents not only a source of capital, but also an important source of knowledge, experience and connections with international markets, playing a key role in the transfer of technology and innovation.
The main goal of the summit is to build a dynamic and competitive ecosystem, which will enable sustainable economic growth and greater inclusion of the diaspora in the development of the country. In this context, the creation of concrete policies and instruments that will facilitate investments and cooperation with the diaspora is also being discussed.
At the end of the discussions, the need to build integrated ecosystems that offer real cooperation opportunities and a competitive package for investors was emphasized, in order to maximize the contribution of the diaspora to the Albanian economy.
During the event, the Director of AIDA also held a series of meetings with representatives of diaspora businesses, who have expressed a concrete interest in investing in Albania. These meetings have turned the summit not only into a discussion forum, but also into a practical space for creating partnerships and promoting new economic projects.