TIRANA, MAY 22, 2010     USAID co-sponsored the 4th Regional CEED Conference and B2B Meetings with Albanian Businesses held this week in Tirana. The Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED), active in seven Balkan countries outside Albania with funding from USAID, chose Albania for this year’s regional conference citing Albania as one of the few “growth markets” in Europe that uniquely avoided recession in 2009 with a GDP growth rate of 2.5%.  The conference and business-to-business (B2B) meetings were also supported by USAID’s Rritje Albania – Competitive Enterprise Development Program, USAID’s Albanian Agriculture Competiveness Program, Raiffeisen Bank, The Albanian American Enterprise Fund, The Kauffman Foundation, Small Enterprise Assistance Funds, and EBRD’s TAM BAS Program.

In his welcoming remarks, the Prime Minister Sali Berisha urged participants to consider Albania’s key role in the EU economy. "Before you decide to go to China, investors would better think to come to Albania which in fact is not a 1 billion market but is a European market."

The event was a key networking and business growth opportunity for Albanian and regional entrepreneurs, bringing together executives from over 60 Albanian businesses and from about 70 firms from Slovenia, Romania, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Montenegro. “Firms that look outside their own borders for business opportunities tend to be stronger and better run than their competitors that do not attempt to expand internationally,” stressed the conference keynote speaker, Ms. Karen Wilson, Fellow of the US-based Kauffman Foundation, citing findings from her research on SME owners and entrepreneurs in Europe.

By focusing on inspiring entrepreneurs who have successfully navigated the Albanian and regional landscape, the conference and B2B meetings spurred participating businesses to explore new partnerships and establish linkages that will help them expand.  "Although the government clearly plays an important role in supporting private sector development, entrepreneurs themselves also have to take initiative to expand business. As entrepreneurs you’re the leaders, innovators, and risk-takers.” said USAID’s Program Officer, Mr. Sean Huff.

The event showcased opportunities for cross-border trade and investment in Albania’s industries to entrepreneurs from neighboring countries. More than 250 business-to-business (B2B) meetings were conducted between participating businesses. In the coming months, USAID will organize more B2B events to enhance business relationships and help generate new deals between Albanian enterprises and foreign buyers. USAID-funded projects support Albania’s economic growth by helping countries create an enabling environment for business expansion, delivering business development services to client enterprises, working closely with local and international experts, and fostering productive partnerships between public and private institutions.

About Rritje Albania: Rritje Albania, USAID’s Competitive Enterprise Development project, advances sustained, broad-based economic growth in Albania by expanding trade and investment, increasing enterprise productivity, and improving Albania’s workforce. The project assists non-agricultural enterprises in becoming more competitive, increasing sales, and creating additional jobs by expanding their businesses. Currently the project targets enterprises from five industries: tourism, textiles/garments, footwear, recycling, information and communications technology, and is looking to expand to support food processing.

For more information on USAID/Albania’s initiatives in Trade and Investment, please contact Ms. Anila Bashllari (abashllari@rritjealbania.com) or Mr. Victor Luboyeski (vluboyeski@rritjealbania.com).

About CEED: CEED is a community of high-expectation entrepreneurs providing the know-how and networks needed to drive businesses forward. Established with support from USAID, CEED has reached 10,000 SME owners and executives through network learning events, provided peer training to over 2,500 entrepreneurs on global industry best practices, and assisted these members in their efforts to access affordable growth capital. CEED is based in Washington D.C. and operates centers in Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia, and plans to open its eighth center in Poland in 2010.

About  AAC:  AAC, USAID’s Albanian Agriculture Competitiveness (AAC) Program promotes sustained growth of Albania's agricultural sector and increasing rural household incomes by building producer capacity for commercial farming, strengthening the sector's capability for market development, and increasing access to, and utilization of timely and reliable market information. AAC works with producers and other actors along promising value chains to identify and eliminate constraints to competitiveness.