Albania and Switzerland presented a new bilateral program with a budget of 58 million Swiss francs. This program aims to strengthen democratic governance, boost economic development, and improve infrastructure services. Moreover, it builds on over 30 years of continuous partnership between the two countries.

Elisa Spiropali, Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, outlined the country’s priorities. “In this new chapter, our goals are clear. First, we will continue our active political dialogue to strengthen the Bern–Tirana cooperation axis. Furthermore, Albanian–Swiss collaboration can expand in innovation, cybersecurity, tourism, vocational education, and other high-potential sectors. Therefore, I am confident this will guide our shared path forward.”

Didier Chassot, Director of the Europe and Middle East Division at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), emphasized Switzerland’s commitment. “Switzerland will stand with Albania and support an inclusive, sustainable democracy. In addition, our bilateral links — technical dialogue, institutional twinning, people-to-people connections, and economic cooperation — will continue beyond 2028. They are anchored in Albania’s progress and our shared European perspective.”

Pietro Lazzeri, Director at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), highlighted economic support. “Our goal is clear: a competitive, innovation-driven economy that creates quality jobs. Over the next three years, we will support macroeconomic stability. Additionally, we will strengthen financial oversight, improve the business climate, expand export capacity, and align with EU standards.”

The program builds on achievements from 2022–2025. Specifically, it focuses on inclusive governance, economic development and employment, and urban development with climate adaptation. Moreover, it will create institutional partnerships and twinning agreements between Albanian and Swiss offices in statistics, metrology, intellectual property, and MeteoSwiss.

Ruth Huber, Swiss Ambassador to Albania, closed the event. She highlighted Albania’s rapid changes. “In the coming years, we will expand direct partnerships between Albanian authorities and Swiss federal centers of expertise — in water science, energy, statistics, metrology, intellectual property, and more. Thus, these efforts will strengthen institutional capacity and innovation.”

Switzerland remains a key bilateral development partner for Albania. Over the past three decades, it has contributed over 500 million Swiss francs to governance, local government reform, vocational education, macroeconomic support, and healthcare. Consequently, the program is jointly implemented by SDC and SECO.