Armed Forces Academy hosts international scientific conference on the Reserve Component of the Albanian Armed Forces

Published: Tuesday, 27 October 2026 15:19

 

The Armed Forces Academy (AFA) organised an international scientific conference entitled “The Reserve Component of the Albanian Armed Forces: Its Integration, Resilience and Effective Employment”.

The conference addressed the role of the reserve component as an integrated part of the active force and as a key element of national resilience, operational readiness and collective defence, in line with NATO standards.

In her address, Deputy Minister of Defence Pranvera Skana stated:

“Our ambition is to build an organised, trained, motivated and fully integrated reserve component that works alongside the active force.”

“Beyond numbers, what matters most is the quality of this capability and its readiness to act when required. Reservists bring particular value to the Armed Forces. They can contribute not only the experience of former military personnel, but also knowledge and expertise from a wide range of civilian professions. It is precisely this combination of military capabilities and civilian expertise that can make our force more flexible and better equipped to respond to emerging challenges,” Skana stated.

A well-organised reserve component, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, strengthens the country's defence capabilities and contributes to fulfilling Albania's commitments within NATO, Deputy Minister Skana emphasised.

“As a NATO member, Albania has a responsibility to continue strengthening its defence capabilities and contributing to collective security. In this context, a modern, well-prepared and operational reserve component represents an added value for national defence and for meeting our commitments to the Alliance. Therefore, our challenge is not simply to recruit reservists. It is to build a system that prepares, motivates and maintains their readiness to serve the country whenever required,” Skana said.

The conference provided an opportunity to exchange experiences, best practices and analytical perspectives among Allied and partner countries, supporting the effective integration of reserve forces with active components and strengthening Albania's contribution to regional and Euro-Atlantic security.

The conference was attended by Deputy Minister of Defence Pranvera Skana; Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji; Commander of the Armed Forces Academy, Major General Ferdinand Dimo; senior Armed Forces officials; representatives of Allied and partner countries; AFA students; and other participants.