A/HRC/20/24/Add.1 I. Introduction 1. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants was created in 1999 by the Commission on Human Rights, pursuant to resolution 1999/44. Since then, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur has been extended by Commission on Human Rights resolutions 2002/62 and 2005/47 and Human Rights Council resolutions 8/10 and 17/12, each for a period of three years. The current Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, François Crépeau, conducted an official visit to Albania from 5 to 13 December 2011 at the invitation of the Government. During the mission, which included visits to Durrës, Shkodër and Tirana, the Special Rapporteur met with Government ministers, State officials at central and local levels, members of Parliament, representatives of the judiciary, the United Nations country team, international and regional organizations and civil society, and migrants themselves. He also visited border crossing points with Montenegro (Hani I Hotit) and Greece (Qafe Bota and Kakavija), the reception centre at Tirana International Airport, the national reception centre for asylum-seekers (Babrru) and the closed reception centre for irregular migrants (Kareç). 2. The Special Rapporteur expresses appreciation for the excellent cooperation extended to him by the Government prior to, throughout and after the visit. He also thanks the United Nations country team, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as well as Albanian civil society. II. General background: Albania and migration 3. Migration stands out as one of the most important characteristics of Albania since its transition to democracy in 1989. While exact data is unavailable, it is estimated that approximately one quarter to one third of Albania’s population (3.4 million)1 reside abroad. Albania is thus one of the countries with the highest emigration flows in the world. 2 Emigration has been primarily circular, economically-driven and concentrated in the lowskilled and informal economy. Mass migration started immediately after the end of the isolationist Communist regime, when “movement from the country” was considered a criminal offence, and resumed in 1997 following the economic and political unrest caused by the fall of pyramid schemes. The primary countries of destination have been Greece and Italy, where the overwhelming majority of the Albanian diaspora live, followed by the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Germany, and Canada (CMW/C/ALB/1, table 3). Albanian migrants in Greece (approximately 700,000 documented Albanians) represent more than 50 per cent of its migrant population while Albanian migrants in Italy (approximately 500,000 documented Albanians) constitute third largest immigrant group in Italy. 4. While Albania has experienced sustained economic growth in recent years, it remains a developing country and one of Europe’s poorest. 3 Migration, through remittances from its large population living and working abroad – 35 per cent of its active population – 1 2 3 4 Albania, Report to the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW/C/ALB/1), para. 215. According to the October 2011 census, the total population in Albania was 2,831,741. Albania, National Strategy on Migration and National Action Plan on Migration (Tirana, 2005), p. 1, and Information and Communication Policy Document on Migration Issues (2010), p. 8. United Nations Development Programme, National Human Development Report: Capacity Development and Integration with the European Union (Tirana, 2010), p. 11.