On December 11, 2020, Mr. Arben Ahmetaj, Minister of State for Reconstruction, and Mr. Björn Thies, Director of KfW Office Tirana, signed a grant agreement amounting to EUR 11 million during a virtual ceremony in the presence of the German Ambassador to Albania, Mr. Peter Zingraf. This agreement implements the funds made available by the German Government after the earthquake that severely hit Albania on 26 November 2019.
The grant will be used to support the complete reconstruction of 3 schools in the Tirana and Durrës region, in some of the areas that were most affected by the earthquake. The schools are located in the Municipalities of Ishëm and Kamëz and they will be reconstructed in accordance with the future needs of the people. Highest standards of earthquake safety and energy efficiency will be followed. Preparatory works at the project sites have already started allowing for an immediate start of the reconstruction.
Ambassador Peter Zingraf underlined: “With our support, we are showing the great solidarity between Germany and Albania. Following highest standards, the three new schools will be an investment in the education and future for the Albanian youth.” The German reconstruction effort will be implemented by KfW Development Bank working with the Albanian Development Fund in close alignment with the municipalities and the respective school communities. The German reconstruction
effort is closely coordinated with the reconstruction efforts from various development partners in the country led by the EU. KfW is one of the world’s leading promotional banks. With its decades of experience, KfW is committed to improving economic, social and environmental living conditions all around the world on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal States. In Albania, KfW implements the German Financial Cooperation and provides grant aid and concessional loans for key investments and project-related consultancy services. The German cooperation with Albania started in 1988. Since then, the German Government has committed more than one billion EUR for development projects in the fields of Municipal Infrastructure, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development in Albania.
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