Albania's ever-lasting parliamentary elections continued during the whole month of July in three other rounds. Ruling Socialists have allegedly won 76 seats and together with their allies going up to 89 seats, thus being secure for creating the new government and for next year's presidential election. The inner-party frictions on selecting the prime minister already started with three main candidates running for the post -- Ilir Meta, Arben Malaj and Spartak Poçi, something that is expected to conclude by mid-August.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved in July the final report over the third year of its agreement with Albania under the Poverty Reduction and Economic Growth (PRGF) program and "the decision allows Albania to benefit from a credit transh of US$ 6 million". Shegemitsu Sugisaki, deputy director of management and currently Chairman of the Board, said that "Albanian authorities have successfully fulfilled their program. Stable macroeconomic management and implementation of structural reforms has continually brought about high growth and financial stability in Albania". Gross Domestic Production grew by more than 7 per cent and inflation was kept low. "The policies of the administration for year 2001 include daring reforms in the energy sector, aiming at eliminating interruptions in power supply, which may put into question expectations for economic growth," Sugisaki stressed.

The UNDP proposed to the Albanian government a new initiative on Small Arms and Light Weapons Control (SALWC) drawn from the previous experience under the WED approach, but going beyond its goals, thus aiming at addressing national and regional concerns about the stability and the small arms proliferation and misuse with negative impacts on the development agenda in the region.

The UNDP Office held a news conference to launch the Global Human Development Report 2001. It had a good turnout of reporters from some 20 from different print and electronic media. It was broadcast by four public and private TV Stations and covered by four daily newspapers.

A mission headed by Rafal Rohizinski, Regional Adviser for ICTD (RBEC), in collaboration with USAID headquarters, Soros headquarters in Budapest, GIPI (Global Internet Policy Initiative) visited Tirana July 8-13, 2001. It was invited to assess existing and future UNDP programmes and introduce them with the ICTD elements. The mission proposed and the relevant government authorities agreed that initially the UNDP should proceed with supporting roundtables with the government authorities, civil society, private sector, donors, etc., to discuss such issues as ICT legislation, ICT infrastructure, e-readiness, people capacities, etc. Recommendations would be discussed at a national conference on ICTD, tentatively planned for October, which, on its part, will conclude with the development of a national strategy on ICTD.

The brochure Making Business Viable and Competitive, published in July, prescribes the achievements and success of Restructuring of the Enterprises and Competitiveness Development project reached during the two last years, emphasizing that “Success comes through Change and Innovation”

UNFPA celebrated the World Population Day July 11 in Albania with different public activities in Tirana and other towns. Tirana office, which has also responsibility for the UNFPA support in Armenia, Bulgaria and Georgia, held a Stage Show "Population, Development and Environment" in association with the Youth Center "Po" aiming at the woman status, protection of rights and health, literacy and its impact on fertility, involvement in decision-making institutions and the like.

The first IPEC Action Programme entitled “Initiating Action on the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour in Albania” had been developed, and started to be implemented in cooperation with an Albanian NGO in five districts -- Tirana, Shkodra, Korca, Berat and Malesia e Madhe, focusing on training organizations in Albania on child labour; giving non-formal education to working children, their siblings, teachers and parents in five pilot cities of Albania; and raising the awarenessfor such an issue.