TIRANA, Nov 21 /ATA / The grant agreement for the Safe and Sustainable Transport Programme, managed by the World Bank, was formally signed in Tirana by representatives of the World Bank and the European Union.
The grant agreement was signed on Friday in the margins of the “Growth Plan – Our Pathway to the EU” summit in Tirana.
Valentina Superti, Director for the Western Balkans at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, emphasised that the €54 million funding will bolster road and rail safety, strengthen technical capacities, advance system digitalisation, and exapnd transport corridors.
This grant adds to previous funding, bringing the total EU support to €134 million since 2023.
“This fund demonstrates the importance the European Union places on this programme and will facilitate movement at border crossings, thereby boosting regional trade,” stated the European Commission representative.
Xiaoqing Yu, World Bank Director for the Western Balkans, expressed optimism about cooperation with the EU and emphasized that this new grant represents a clear commitment to the development of transport in the Western Balkans.
According to her, this is only the first initiative, with additional projects planned to further improve regional transport infrastructure and capacities.
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