Albania and Italy expand the framework of Strategic Cooperation in the field of Defence

Published: Friday, 14 November 2025 14:18

Albania and Italy finalized a number of bilateral agreements during the Intergovernmental Summit held at Villa Pamphili in Rome, reaffirming the depth of their strategic partnership and their shared commitment to regional stability and development.

 

Prime Minister Edi Rama and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni oversaw the signing and exchange of several agreements across different sectors, with security, Defence Industry development, and the strengthening of Civil Protection taking a central role.

I. Deepening Defence Cooperation

The Ministers of Defence signed a cooperation agreement aimed at expanding joint activities in training, interoperability, maritime security, and operational readiness.
Furthermore, the signing of the technical agreement for the transfer of two Italian patrol vessels to the Albanian Coast Guard significantly enhances Albania’s capacity for maritime surveillance and search-and-rescue operations in the Adriatic and Ionian seas.

II. Expanding Cooperation in the Defence Industry

Strengthening the strategic partnership in the Defence Industry marks an important step toward building Albania’s national defence industrial base, aligned with the country’s broader agenda for industrialization and technological advancement.

The cooperation agreements signed today by the state-owned company KAYO with Italian companies Leonardo and Fincantieri focus on the use of advanced technologies, from munitions to command-and-control systems on developing maintenance capabilities for the Navy’s existing vessels, and on producing new naval platforms for the domestic and international market.

III. Investments in Civil Protection

Strengthening Albania’s resilience and Civil Protection capabilities was one of the main pillars of today’s summit.
The signing of two financial instruments, a €30 million loan dedicated to equipment, training, and operational modernization, and a €5 million grant focused on rapid response and risk reduction, raises cooperation between the two countries to a new level.

These initiatives are complemented by the signing of a trilateral memorandum and declaration between the National Civil Protection Agency (NCPA), the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS Tirana), and Italy’s Civil Protection Agency, ensuring synergy in current and future civil protection and emergency management projects.