Powering Albania's Future: Harnessing UN Collaboration for Energy and Infrastructure

The energy and infrastructure sector is often the economic engine driving a country’s journey towards sustainable and inclusive development. For Albania, investing in and expanding sustainable energy and resilient infrastructure is key to its long-term vision; solidifying its position as a fast-moving player in the region and its accession to the European Union.

Thus far, an impressive 98 per cent of Albania’s electricity comes from hydropower, with the remaining 2 per cent from solar power. But to supply Albania’s growing needs, the country is increasingly turning to coal and oil. The impact of climate change and growing demands from the population have put the country’s energy security firmly in the spotlight.

A very rewarding aspect of my role as UN Resident Coordinator is the opportunity to bring together the expertise of different UN entities in Albania, each with their own specialized portfolios and skill set, to support Albania in achieving its sustainable development vision. A just energy transition is a crucial part of this vision.

Enhanced energy performance standards, starting in 2026, require all new and renovated buildings to meet minimum standards and use renewable energy to reduce emissions.

Responding to this, over the past year, the UN has supported the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy to strengthen capacities, expand leadership skills and build knowledge of state-of-the-art practices in sustainable construction.

Bringing together the UN country team, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and other partners, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), we developed an integrated plan to build the professional capacities of Albania’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy.

Building capacity for sustainable construction

As part of the resulting programme, UNOPS led a training on assessing the feasibility of large-scale projects in transport, infrastructure, industry, and energy that the Government has to regularly take on.

Leveraging this, officials were also trained on implementing energy efficiency methods in the Building Sector. From choosing the right materials to adopting innovative building techniques and opportunities for decarbonization to reduce carbon emissions, this knowledge shapes how the sector can help catalyze climate action in the country. Public officials who participated in the learning exercise developed their understanding of green building systems, the incentives and subsidies for successful implementation, contributing to more informed decision-making.

Leveraging public-private partnerships

 As investments increase in the energy and infrastructure sector, from my unique vantage point, I coordinate the UN’s support to leverage public-private partnerships in combination with digital innovation. This can create groundbreaking shifts for Albania. Working with the Civil Aviation Agency, UNDP supported the Ministry to identify opportunities and the necessary regulatory frameworks for such partnerships within the legal bounds set by the country’s recent law on Strategic Investments.

For Albania, this is an opportunity to learn from another country with a similar trajectory- Estonia. As Mr. Keit Kasemets, Secretary-General at the Ministry of Climate in Estonia put it during a recent visit to Albania: driving the economy away from fossil fuel energy and leveraging clean energy, smarter use of reosurces and climate-resilient solutions, can strengthen the competitiveness of the economy.

This kind of cohesive and integrated support is what makes the UN a steady and reliable partner for Albania. Successful coordination, drawing on the capacity of a diverse UN team team that is ready to respond flexibly to changing needs and priorities - this will help shape Albania's trajectory towards a more just, equitable and sustainable future.

This blog was written by Fiona McCluney, UN Resident Coordinator in Albania. For more information about the UN's work in Albania, please visit albania.un.org.