On the occasion of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Albania, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment signed an agreement to support this project for the Korça region.
The agreement was signed by the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Mirela Kumbaro, and the Director General of the AFD Group, Rémy Rioux.
The project will include strategic planning, an investment plan, and technical cooperation with French local authorities, such as the city of Chambéry and the Savoie department.

“This partnership reflects our shared ambition to place environmental protection and cultural heritage at the heart of tourism development,” Rioux stated.

Rioux stated, “By connecting our institutions and expertise, we aim to build a bridge between our regions to support inclusive and sustainable growth in Albania.”

The agreement will support the development of a comprehensive strategy to guide tourism growth in the Korça region in the coming years. The plan will integrate environmental protection, sustainable spatial planning, and the evaluation of the region’s architectural and natural heritage.

“This project represents a milestone for the Korça region and for Albania as a whole. It introduces a European vision in our tourism strategy, based on the principles of sustainability and cooperation. We are proud to work closely with our French partners to build a more sustainable and attractive future for our communities,” said Kumbaro.
A key element of the project is the technical cooperation between Albanian and French institutions, facilitated through exchanges between the parties, including actors from the Alpine region such as the Bauges Regional Natural Park. These exchanges aim to strengthen local capacities and promote the transfer of knowledge in sustainable tourism and territorial development.

The initiative also complements other efforts led by France in the Korça region, including the planned reopening of the French Lycée and the ongoing decentralized cooperation supported by the French Embassy.
The AFD Group contributes to the implementation of France’s policies for sustainable development and international solidarity. The group includes the French Development Agency (AFD), which finances the public sector, NGOs, scientific research, and training; its subsidiary Proparco, which finances the private sector; and Expertise France, an agency for technical cooperation. The group funds, supports, and accelerates the transitions needed for a fairer and more sustainable world.

Since 2019, the AFD Group has been present in the Western Balkans and has been mandated to support the countries in the region in meeting EU standards and implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change, with the aim of building an inclusive and low-carbon development trajectory. Since then, more than €1.6 billion have been committed by the AFD Group in the Western Balkans region, of which €340 million in Albania.

The Ministry of Tourism and Environment is the government institution responsible for drafting and implementing policies aimed at environmental protection, climate change mitigation, sustainable use of natural resources, nature and biodiversity conservation, sustainable development of forests and pastures, monitoring water quality, as well as drafting and implementing tourism policies.

The Ministry operates in accordance with relevant legislation on nature and biodiversity, including the protection of flora and fauna, soil erosion and degradation prevention, preservation of natural landscapes, protection of wildlife and endangered species, as well as the management of protected areas.
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