Romania and Albania Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation in Agriculture

Today, Undersecretary of State Mihail Leonov welcomed a delegation from Albania, led by Ms. Megi Fino, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the headquarters of the Romanian Ministry. The meeting was also attended by H.E. Enkeleda Merkuri, Ambassador of Albania to Romania.

The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture, addressing topics of mutual interest such as expanding collaboration, the legal framework of the partnership, and technical assistance provided by Romania in the context of Albania’s European Union accession negotiations—currently a top priority for the Albanian government.

The Albanian delegation emphasized the vital role of agriculture in Albania’s economy and reviewed the country’s EU integration efforts, highlighting the progress achieved and expressing gratitude for Romania’s continued support.

Undersecretary Leonov reaffirmed Romania’s consistent support for Albania’s European path, stressing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s openness to developing programs for knowledge exchange, field visits, and the provision of institutional-level technical expertise, particularly in aligning Albanian national legislation with EU standards.

A key point of discussion was the updating of commercial cooperation agreements and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two ministries, to serve as a foundation for deeper collaboration.

In the area of fisheries and aquaculture, the Romanian official pointed to promising opportunities, considering Romania’s research experience in aquaculture and Albania’s potential in this sector.

The Albanian side also expressed interest in receiving support from Romania on several fronts: developing the organic agriculture promotion sector, agricultural research, the functioning of payment agencies, and phytosanitary regulations.

The Director General of Agricultural Policy from the Romanian Ministry reiterated the institution’s willingness to offer assistance and technical expertise in diverse areas, including:

• The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
• Organic farming
• Animal husbandry and genetic improvement
• Plant variety registration
• Beekeeping
• Operation of payment agencies
• Twinning programs
• Knowledge exchange visits, trade fairs, exhibitions, and other events

Another area of interest for future cooperation is academic exchange in agriculture between universities in Tirana and Romanian agricultural universities. The Director General noted that Romanian universities are well-established institutions with European recognition, open to international collaboration. He also referred to Romania’s agricultural research institutes and stations, which are prepared to share the outcomes of their research and innovation projects or partnerships.

Romania will continue to support Albania in its EU accession process and collaborate actively to advance agriculture and fisheries in both countries. The Romanian side encouraged the submission of specific proposals for joint projects in agriculture and rural development.