The European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD) presented the project “EU Circular Economy and Green Agenda—Waste Infrastructure in Albania.” Funded by the EU with a grant of 19 million euros and implemented by AFD, the project will help reduce the environmental and health impact of solid waste at the waste endpoints in Kukës and Gjirokastër/Vlora Jugore.

The project foresees the increase of recycling in order to reduce the volume of waste and the establishment of new landfills according to the models of the European Union and the facilitation of waste management to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The project will also help Albania to further align with EU standards on its way to membership in the European Union.

The project will improve the living conditions of nearly 190,000 residents in the district of Kukes and Gjirokastra.

This project is in line with Albania’s National Waste Management Plan (NWMP) for the period 2020-2035 and will be an important historical moment towards the implementation of reforms and investments in accordance with EU directives in terms of economy circulation and fulfilling the green agenda.

In a joint ceremony, the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Mrs. Mirela Kumbaro, the French Delegate Minister responsible for Foreign Trade, Attractiveness and the French abroad, Mr. Oliver Becht, the French Ambassador to Albania Mrs. Catherine Suard, the EU Ambassador in Albania, Mr. Luigi Soreca and the director of AFD for the Western Balkans, Mr. Arnaud Dauphin, officially launched this new project. After an initial phase of consultations and technical studies, concrete investments will start from 2024-2025 for a period of four years.

This project is part of the largest program of the European Union for Albania worth 30.9 million euros “EU for the Circular Economy and the Green Agenda”, which will also address the alignment with the EU legislation by introducing the policies of “Responsibility of Expanding Producers’ and mobilizing communities and the private sector towards the circular economy and green agenda.