toggle menu
In Albania, the CIHEAM stresses the importance of cooperation for more Sustainable Mediterranean Food Systems
CIHEAM > AGENDAS > In Albania, the CIHEAM stresses the importance of cooperation for more Sustainable Mediterranean Food Systems

27 March 2023 - Tirana (Albania)

  • The CIHEAM Secretary General, Mr Teodoro MIANO, participated in the bilateral dialogue that took place today in Tirana between the Ministers of Agriculture of Albania, Mrs Frida KRIFCA, and of Italy, Mr Francesco LOLLOBRIGIDA, in presence of the Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Edmondo CIRIELLI 
  • The meeting was the occasion to present the outcome of SAFIAL, an international cooperation project funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and implemented by the CIHEAM
From the left: Mr Edmondo CIRIELLI, Mr Teodoro MIANO, Mrs Frida KRIFCA, Mr Francesco LOLLOBRIGIDA

Represented by its Secretary General, Mr Teodoro MIANO, the CIHEAM had a privileged place during the day of bilateral exchanges between the Albanian and Italian Ministries of Agriculture, in the presence of the Italian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Edmondo CIRIELLI.

After the signing of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural cooperation between Albania and Italy, Mr MIANO presented the SAFIAL project to the national authorities and highlighted the CIHEAM know-how and expertise in the implementation of international activities while recalling the importance of regional cooperation in the agri-food sector in response to the various crises that are severely affecting the Mediterranean region.

Mr Teodoro Miano underlined the role of CIHEAM in supporting local administrations in the implementation of technical assistance processes for farmers, for the development of innovative technologies in sustainable food systems, or in terms of targeted investments for youth. The Secretary-General added that " The CIHEAM's primary action is to promote innovative and resilient agricultural models within the framework of One Health, drawing on the potential of the Mediterranean diet and targeting the resilience of local communities".

The SAFIAL project

  • Image

SAFIAL is the name of a project of cooperation funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and implemented by the CIHEAM Bari in Albania from May 2021 onwards. The project aims to strengthen the Albanian institutions that manage the national food safety system, in particular the National Food Agency (AKU), the Institute for Food Safety and Veterinary Medicine (ISUV), and the National Veterinary and Phytosanitary Authority (AKVM), which are all under the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). In the framework of this project, a new Border Inspection Post (BIP) for the Albanian Food Agency has been fully constructed and equipped in Durres, a port city in western Albania on the Adriatic Sea. The facility will be fully operational by April 2023.

The Albanian Ministry of Agriculture greatly appreciated the project for its innovative character and its compliance with European standards. For these reasons, they identified the new BIP in Durres as a model to be adopted in other border posts within the framework of a World Bank programme.

Programmatic working meeting

The meeting was also an opportunity for the CIHEAM new Secretary General Mr Teodoro Miano to exchange views with Mrs Frida Krifca, who will take up her position as President of the CIHEAM Governing Board as of 1 April 2023. They discussed the prospects for action for the intergovernmental organization over the next years, highlighting possible synergies and complementary areas of interest.

The CIHEAM in Albania 

Albania is a CIHEAM member country since 1992. A wide range of actions has been carried out in the Country through knowledge sharing, technical assistance, formation, and multilateral political dialogues, all aimed at strengthening the Albanian stance on issues such as biodiversity protection, food security, and natural resources and coastal zone management.

CIHEAM’s field activities involve researchers, agriculture and tourism operators, institutional representatives, residents, and local communities. Over the years, cooperation has intensified, allowing the CIHEAM to participate, together with scientific institutions, in the process of harmonising standards and adapting legislation in the departments of the Ministries of Agriculture and the Environment, in view of the negotiations for the accession of Albania to the European Union.