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OSCE roundtable in Albania agrees to draft national strategy for Roma
TIRANA 4 February 2003
TIRANA, 4 February 2003 - Plans to draft a national strategy aimed at improved living conditions for the Roma minority community in Albania were agreed yesterday at an OSCE-financed roundtable.
According to the memorandum of understanding between representatives of different government ministries and representatives of the Roma non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Albania, the signatory parties will create a working group, to be chaired by Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Ahmet Ceni. The group will be in charge of drafting what is referred to as a National Strategy for the Improvement of Living Conditions of the Roma Minority in Albania.
The memorandum follows an earlier agreement between the Albanian Government and Roma NGOs, reached at a roundtable on 9 and 10 January, to work together to design a common platform for improving the life of the Roma community in Albania.
Yesterday's roundtable was facilitated by the OSCE Presence in Albania within the framework of a joint project of the OSCE/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Council of Europe and the European Commission scheme 'Roma and Stability Pact in South-Eastern Europe'. It was financed by the OSCE/ODIHR and supported by the Albanian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Minority Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The participants, who represented different Roma NGOs throughout Albania and representatives of different ministries and institutions, addressed issues related to the educational level of the Roma community, poverty, shelter, and other areas of concern, as well as touching on possible solutions.
According to the memorandum of understanding between representatives of different government ministries and representatives of the Roma non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Albania, the signatory parties will create a working group, to be chaired by Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Ahmet Ceni. The group will be in charge of drafting what is referred to as a National Strategy for the Improvement of Living Conditions of the Roma Minority in Albania.
The memorandum follows an earlier agreement between the Albanian Government and Roma NGOs, reached at a roundtable on 9 and 10 January, to work together to design a common platform for improving the life of the Roma community in Albania.
Yesterday's roundtable was facilitated by the OSCE Presence in Albania within the framework of a joint project of the OSCE/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Council of Europe and the European Commission scheme 'Roma and Stability Pact in South-Eastern Europe'. It was financed by the OSCE/ODIHR and supported by the Albanian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Minority Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The participants, who represented different Roma NGOs throughout Albania and representatives of different ministries and institutions, addressed issues related to the educational level of the Roma community, poverty, shelter, and other areas of concern, as well as touching on possible solutions.