Western Balkans

EIB Global, the arm of the Bank focused on operations outside the European Union, will provide a €2.75 million technical assistance grant to the Albanian Development Fund (ADF) for the preparation of a priority investment programme. The programme will cover the area close to the border with Montenegro along Lake Shkodër and the Buna River at the main gateway to the Albanian Alps. After the completion of an integrated tourism and urban development strategy — which is also part of the EIB’s advisory support — this technical assistance will focus on delivering environmental, technical and social assessments and on bringing the selected projects closer to the implementation phase.

EIB Global, the arm of the EIB devoted to activities outside the European Union, is providing the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of Kosovo with a €600 000 technical assistance grant. Taking stock of the situation in Kosovo’s higher education sector, the advisory support team will issue recommendations to improve the existing infrastructure and standards of public institutions of higher education. This assessment is the first step for the extension, renovation and rehabilitation of selected public universities, which is to result in the improvement of the quality and accessibility of higher education for people in Kosovo.

European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova has visited North Macedonia to reaffirm the Bank’s longstanding commitment to supporting the country’s sustainable growth, through investments in vital infrastructure and close cooperation with local partners. On this occasion, the Bank signed an investment of €50 million to construct and refurbish water supply, wastewater and flood protection infrastructure, available to the country’s 80 municipalities. This funding will help improve the coverage, quality and climate resilience of water and sanitation services, while protecting public health and the environment. The project will benefit some 700 000 people, create new economic opportunities and strengthen climate change resilience for around 40% of country’s population.