OSCE holds preparatory conference on environment

TIRANA, 17 March – The second preparatory conference to the 17th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum was held in Tirana this week organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. Its main theme was: “Migration management and its linkages with economic, social and environmental policies to the benefit of stability and security in the OSCE region.”
There were some 170 participants from some 69 countries, including the diplomatic corps in Tirana.
The current global financial crisis and its effect on the countries and their migration was a main topic of discussion. They stressed the need for joint policies to find ways out and also facilitate the effects of the crises on poorer countries.
The crisis may also urge many immigrants to return to their countries. In Albania that would be a direct effect of the crisis.
Immigrants have been a main source in supporting their families at home.
It has been noted a fall of their remittances though the last annual figures have yet to come out. From 947 million Euro sent in 2008 there were 623 million Euro sent during the first nine months of 2009.