parallel, the key economic and financial indicators : public debt, external debt, 1 / 3 bis - central bankers'speeches and the non - performing loans ratio, have improved considerably. in particular, inflation is three times lower than in 2022, down to 2. 2 %, while indicators of the banking sector soundness stand at positive levels. all of these factors, have enabled – among other things – the improvement of albania's credit risk rating by international institutions. the enhanced interest of foreign investors for albania has been another positive development as well. our country has welcomed an ever increasing number of visitors in recent years, ranking third in the world for the fastest growth in tourism in 2023. likewise, foreign direct investments have picked up progressively from year to year, confirming albania's attractiveness as a compelling destination for investments. the bank of albania has actively contributed to this progress by addressing elevated inflation in a timely manner and carefully supervising the banking sector. in addition, investments for developing the payment system, innovation, and the digitalization of financial services have played a key role in strengthening economic stability and the development of the financial sector. we believe that albania's outlook remain positive. however, global trends trigger a complex environment, which poses challenges and opportunities for the future. next, i will briefly address some of them : first, one of the biggest challenges for the albanian economy is improving productivity and achieving a competition level comparable to that of european advanced countries. despite the improvements achieved so far, albania still has to work for reaching an economic structure oriented toward high - value - added sectors. second, the ageing population and the elevating shortages of the labour force is a complex challenge with consequences on the albanian economy as well as on the european and global economies. this process affects both the labour market and the long - term prospects for economic growth and the sustainability of the pension system and public debt. third, another challenge is the impact of climate change on vital sectors such as agriculture and tourism, which are sensitive to it. these two sectors, in addition to directly affecting the economic activity and employment, represent also a great potential for the development of the albanian economy in the future. an integrated approach coupled with a strategic vision is needed to addressing these challenges. in this context, i believe it is important to undertake certain steps : first, investments in the modernization of physical and digital infrastructure, the development of scientific research, the updating of managerial philosophy and practices, and the improvement of business climate in

own workforce, to develop them and give them the best opportunity to stay relevant, the transformation of our workforce will be that much 2 / 3 bis central bankers'speeches smoother. let us mobilise and inspire our staff to inculcate a growth mindset to stay competitive and step up to take action. to help do that, ibf is pleased to launch of the # futuremenow movement. this is a call to action, for industry professionals and leaders to take ownership and contribute to enabling our workforce for the future. individuals can pledge to learn something, talk to someone about their career plans or be a mentor. ibf will work with the pledgees to realise their pledges. there are about 500 of us gathered here today. i invite you as industry leaders here tonight to be the first to be active multipliers. transforming our financial industry workforce for the future requires a collaborative partnership among all of us here : where leaders provide the example and set the tone ; where financial institutions provide the opportunity to upskill and reskill ; and where people take ownership of their own professional development. thank you for taking time to be here this evening. i wish you every success as you build up your businesses and your people, and together we build up singapore as a global financial centre offering good jobs and meaningful careers for our workforce. 3 / 3 bis central bankers'speeches