On October 04, 2023, the German Ambassador to Tirana, Mr. Karl Bergner and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Ms. Belinda Balluku signed the intergovernmental agreement for the second phase of the Water Sector Performance and Investment Program (WPIP II) at the amount of EUR 53 million.
WPIP is an initiative of the Albanian Government supported by the German Government (through KfW), by the European Union, and by the Swiss Government through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). WPIP II aims to bring systemic impact, combining service and financial performance improvement of water utilities at the local level with the strengthening of framework conditions at sector level in line with EU best practice and toward aligning with the EU acquis.
This comprehensive programme will produce tangible changes in improving living conditions for half the urban population in Albania, strengthening framework conditions for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, improving financial performance of water utilities and enhancing protection of environment, improving good governance of water utilities etc.
KfW is Germany’s state-owned development bank that finances financial cooperation projects and programmes in various sectors. KfW provides grant aid and concessional loans for key investments and project-related consultancy services. German development cooperation with Albania started in 1988. Since then, the German Government has committed more than one billion euros for financial cooperation development projects and programmes. The Sustainable Urban Development is a priority area within the scope of German Financial Cooperation with Albania, with an active portfolio of EUR 365 million.
/Argumentum.al
