Albania and Montenegro have advanced the economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries, starting from July 2018. The first joint meeting between the two governments in Shkodër gave impetus to commercial exchanges.

The Business Forum, organized by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, as well as the Investment Agencies of the two countries and the Joint Declaration, accompanied by seven agreements and memoranda of understanding/cooperation, were a good step for a new quality of bilateral relations.

The two countries cooperate in the most important projects, with impact not only bilaterally, but also regionally, such as: the Adriatic-Ionian Highway, the addition of transitional border points, the infrastructural connection between Velipoja and Ulcinj, etc. The promotion of cooperation in the field of joint trade, tourism, energy, transport, agriculture, IT, wood processing, three years ago, engaged about 170 representatives of the companies of both countries.

Cooperation with Montenegro is focused on the implementation of agreements/protocols signed over the years, as well as those signed.

Experts have emphasized that Albania and Montenegro have wide areas of cooperation between them, especially in the field of energy, road and railway infrastructure, tourism, etc. Economic cooperation has maintained a positive trend, although it does not match the high level of political dialogue. Trade exchanges in the last year were at the level of 75 million dollars.

From 2020 to the end of 2022, Albanian exports to Montenegro expanded by about 500%, while imports by 523%. The trade surplus with Montenegro has increased by 430% from 2010 to 2022.

During the last years, the trade volumes between Albania and the countries of the Western Balkans (Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Montenegro) have increased significantly, not more from the facilitation of trade procedures, than from the private initiative of businesses that have profitably evaluated the trade close to the borders, for products that were previously invoiced in more distant countries.

Official data on foreign trade show that during 2022, Albania realized over 10% of trade with the countries of the region from 6.5% a decade ago. From 2018 to 2022, Albania has a systematic trade surplus with the region. This means that the value of exported goods in the region is higher than the value of imports.

/k.s/