Albania
The collaborations of Emilia-Romagna with the Republic of Albania
General profile of the Republic of Albania
Country: | Republic of Albania |
President: | Bajram Begaj |
Prime Minister | Edi Rama |
Capital: | Tirana |
Bilateral relations between Italy and Albania have been strong and intense for years. Favoured also by geographical proximity, they are based on solid historical, cultural and economic grounds. For Albania, Italy remains a privileged partner. Our country has always been at the forefront in supporting Albania’s transition and its path towards the EU. The Tirana government officially applied for EU membership on 28 April 2009 and was granted candidate status in 2014.
Italy has been its leading bilateral donor over the past twenty years, is its main trading partner, a major investor and hosts the most thriving Albanian community abroad. The Emilia-Romagna Region has had relations with Albania for over fifteen years. Several projects have been implemented using both funds from the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and regional funds under Regional Law no. 12/2002 on Development Cooperation. Collaboration took place with programmes concerning support for youth policies, social planning and programming, and the exchange of experiences for the creation of Local Social Plans. Between 2007 and 2009, a Framework Programme Agreement was implemented in the Balkans. This was an opportunity to test a regional cooperation system that brought together the local authorities of Emilia-Romagna in the implementation of cooperation actions in the Balkans.
Projects are currently carried out using the IADSA (Italian-Albanian Debt for Development Swap Program) funds, which are part of the bilateral agreement between the two countries.
Areas of cooperation
Cultural heritageLocal developmentVocational training and education Social policiesDevelopment of sustainable agricultureBrand promotion
Rural Albania - in cooperation with the Councillorship for Agriculture
It is a project to support marginal communities in the mountainous agricultural areas of northern Albania. The general objective is to increase the income of small farmers by giving them access to new agricultural support services in line with European best practices, to high-quality vocational training and education opportunities, to productive inputs and equipment, and to local markets.
Byllis Project
The project is a strategic initiative aimed at supporting the economic development of the Mallakaster area (in the Fier region, in Albania) through the promotion of the archaeological site of Byllis as a key resource for the area’s tourist attractiveness. The initiative is financed by the EU’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, which are managed by the Tirana office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation through the delegated cooperation mechanism. The project will last a total of four years and will involve both the Emilia-Romagna Region and the University of Bologna among the entities in charge of its implementation. The University’s efforts will be mainly geared towards the maintenance, rehabilitation and restoration of the archaeological site and the capacity-building of its curators. The Region will focus on the creation of a multimedia museum and on the promotion of an inclusive, locally-generated and socially-driven economic development in the Mallakaster area.
Pema
It is a project that supports education and vocational training in Albania, focusing in particular on the transfer of knowledge and skills in the agri-food and agro-mechanical fields. It is based on the experience of Emilia-Romagna’s top secondary schools.