This conference is intended to be an annual event focusing on different development themes each year .
This first edition of the conference will address aspects of Albania's growth and transition focusing on
"Labor market restructuring and the development of a competitive labor force in Albania"
Some of the topics could include:
- labor costs, taxation and informality
- agriculture, rural labor market trends and competitiveness
- skills gap, education and training policies
- financing basic services for a competitive labor force
- poverty analysis
- unemployment and labor market analysis
- social protection
- information society
- migration
- small business issues, including access to credit and technologies
The conference will include presentations and discussions of recent analytical work by the World Bank, but will also include work by relevant local and regional government agencies, development partners, academic institutions, think tanks and NGOs.
To this end, the World Bank is seeking papers (published or unpublished) of relevance to the above topic. Papers should already be completed by the time of submission. Papers should be submitted, preferably in English but Albanian versions with abstract in English will also be reviewed.
Selected authors should be prepared to make a summary presentation during the conference. No honoraria will be provided, but some transportation and lodging costs may be accommodated. The World Bank reserves the right to accept or reject papers for inclusion in the conference.
The deadline for submitting papers for review is April 15, 2008 in electronic or hard copy to Ana Gjokutaj at email address (agjokutaj@worldbank.org) and office address (World Bank Country Office, Deshmoret e 4 Shkurtit Str. no. 34, Tirana, Albania).
