Pirro Vengu, Minister of Defense, attended the launch of the important initiative “ALBAdapt – Program for Climate-Resilient Urban Development in Albania”, which aims to improve hydro-meteorological services in Albania and increase the country’s capacity to deal with the impacts and hazards of extreme climate events.
The event was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku, the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Mirela Kumbaro, and the Ambassadors of Germany and Switzerland.
In his remarks, Minister Vengu highlighted the importance of establishing an early warning mechanism for civil emergencies, noting that floods cost the national budget tens of millions of dollars annually. He emphasized that floods affect an average of 50,000 people every year, especially in coastal areas, which contribute to 40% of the country’s GDP.
“Every year, floods cause tens of millions of dollars in damage and cleanup costs. The main goal of this project is to create a comprehensive approach. This year, we adopted a new budgeting strategy and conducted tours with municipalities before the budget was approved to increase funding for preventive infrastructure and strengthen local government capacity,” said Minister Vengu.
Currently, Albania lacks a fully functional early warning mechanism. Minister Vengu noted that the allocated funds are intended to support human resource mechanisms, including the nationwide deployment of sensors, the integration of information systems, and the deployment of dedicated personnel to effectively communicate critical information.
The minister also called on citizens, especially those in high-risk areas, to actively participate in emergency situations and stressed the importance of creating a robust volunteer network.
“Albania should establish a volunteer network similar to Switzerland, Slovenia, Finland, and Germany, which have well-established volunteer systems. It is important to have a network that supports the mechanism. Some municipalities are piloting volunteer systems, and we want to expand this nationwide,” he said.
The project will be implemented from 2024 to 2030 with a budget of approximately €34.5 million, co-financed by the Government of Albania, the Federal Republic of Germany, Switzerland, and the Green Climate Fund.
The initiative represents a major step towards strengthening Albania’s climate resilience by developing an advanced early warning system for floods and other extreme events, saving lives, and protecting natural resources.
The creation of a consolidated volunteer network will play a crucial role in supporting this mechanism.
The Ministry of Defense and the National Civil Protection Agency remain committed to ensuring a safe and sustainable Albania for future generations!