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Albania

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Capital: Tirana
Area: 28,748 sq. km.
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Maryland
Population (July 2011 estimate): 2,994,667
Official language(s): Albanian
State Partner: New Jersey and New York
International Organizations and Agreements:  NATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), UN, Stability Pact, Adriatic Charter, World Trade Organization (WTO)

The United States and Albania enjoy friendly and cooperative bilateral relations and military partnership. In 2003, the two countries signed and ratified a number of agreements, including a treaty on the Prevention of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Promotion of Defense and Military Relations; the Adriatic Charter; an agreement regarding the non-surrender of persons to the International Criminal Court; and later in 2004 signed the Supplementary Agreement to the Partnership for Peace Status of Forces Agreement, which defined the status of American military troops in Albania, further enabling military cooperation.

Albania is part of the international force serving in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), and Albanian peacekeepers are part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. With bilateral and multilateral assistance, the Ministry of Defense is transitioning to a smaller, voluntary, professional military, and reducing the vast amounts of excess weaponry and ammunition  that litter the country and pose a significant public hazard and proliferation risk.

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  • May 26, 2012

    Immediate Response 12 highlights multinational cooperation

    Immediate Response 12 (IR12), the multinational military exercise between U.S. Army Europe, U.S. Air Force, the Croatian Land Forces and partner militaries from six other Balkan nations, started today with an opening ceremony in Slunj, Croatia.
  • March 30, 2012

    Combined Endeavor Mid-Planning Conference Concludes

    The U.S. European Command ended the mid-planning conference for Combined Endeavor, its largest multinational communications interoperability exercise, today in Albania.
  • March 26, 2012

    Combined Endeavor 2012 planning conference begins

    The week-long mid planning conference for exercise Combined Endeavor 2012 (CE12), U.S. European Command’s largest communications interoperability exercise, began today with more than 300 participants attending to continue the planning and testing for this year’s exercise.
  • January 9, 2012

    Helping hands: USACE, EUCOM, USAID bring virtual health care to Albanian hospitals

    Designated areas at the “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center and three other major regional hospitals throughout the country are being renovated to house new telemedicine and e-health centers.
  • September 20, 2011

    Albania joins 38 nations at Combined Endeavor

    Albanian army Cmdr. Tonin Gjini said participating in Combined Endeavor is very important for many things.
  • June 10, 2011

    Phoenix Express 2011 Helps Prevent the Distribution of Components used to build Weapons of Mass Destruction

    An international maritime interdiction operations (MIO) team participating in Phoenix Express 2011 (PE-11) executed a boarding scenario June 10 that supported the aims of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).
  • June 1, 2011

    Phoenix Express 2011 Prepares to Shift Colors

    Phoenix Express 2011 (PE-11), a multi-national maritime exercise between U.S., North African and European naval forces, held a pre-sail kickoff meeting here June 1, bringing together for the first time since the exercise began ten days ago the Task Force Phoenix Express commander and the commanding officers and crew of the eight ships participating in the exercise.
  • January 31, 2011

    KFOR gives UXO class to local children

    In a land that has seen many wars and conflicts, Unexploded Ordnance is a real concern. Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Soldiers from Poland and the United States held a class in Kamenice/Kamenica, Jan. 18, to inform the local children of the potential dangers they face.
  • October 22, 2010

    U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation Funds School Renovation in Kalivaç, Lezhë

    In a ribbon cutting ceremony today in Kalivaç, Lezhë, a newly renovated school was officially opened for use by the region’s children. Attending the ceremony were Acting Deputy Chief of the U.S. Embassy, Paul Poletes, Chief of Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) Albania, Major Kevin Bosch, U.S. Army European Command representative Lt. Col. Amy McCall and School Principal Drita Gjini.
  • September 8, 2010

    Largest communication exercise ever hosted at Grafenwoehr Training Area is a success

    About 1400 participants of more than 40 countries and organizations gathered at the Joint Multinational Simulations Center (JMSC) at Grafenwoehr Training Area for the U.S. European Command’s (EUCOM’s) exercise, Combined Endeavor 2010, the world’s largest military communications and information systems exercise, Sept. 2-16.

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  • September 27, 2012

    Last LOGEX conference before the exercise

    The LOGEX 13 Final Coordination Conference and associated workshop was held in Tirana, at the Albanian Military Training Doctrine Center.
  • May 17, 2012

    Cyber Defense Partnerships Lead to Lasting Relationships

    Increasing our partners’ cyber defense postures to protect and defend against threats and vulnerabilities which disrupt free use of the global information grid is a top priority here at EUCOM where we are committed to building enduring cyber defense partnerships with Albania and other NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) countries.
  • March 13, 2012

    First-Ever Regional Cyber Endeavor Seminar Held in Montenegro

    I spent last week in the warm and hospitable city of Podgorica, Montenegro, with a EUCOM team executing the first-ever regional Cyber Endeavor event.
  • September 14, 2011

    A small investment pays big dividends in Albania

    EUCOM invested $170,000 to upgrade a kindergarten in Erseke, Albania.
  • February 16, 2011

    Cyber Defense is a Team Sport

    The theme of this conference was “Empowering a Cyber Defense Workforce" and included over one hundred participants with 40 partner cyber defenders from 18 countries, NATO, and other international organizations. The cheer squad came from USEUCOM's components, DoD agencies and industry.
  • December 14, 2010

    To Communicate “Thank you”

    In the future we expect to do more regional projects for Albania and the Balkans by investing in Disaster Preparedness and Telemedicine, but I’m sure the occasional school renovations will remain on our schedule. There really is no better grass roots opportunity for us to reach out and impact the next generation.
  • September 14, 2010

    First day of school excitement in Albania!

    Have you been to the beautiful mountainsides of Northern Albania? It was my first time to this land called Shqipëria, and as it is known by its inhabitants the "Land of the Mountain Eagle," hence the two-headed eagle on their uniquely distinguished national flag.
  • June 23, 2010

    Albania looks to EUCOM for chaplaincy advice

    I spent the week of June 7-11 in Tirana, Albania, hosted by the US Defense Attaché and Office of Defense Cooperation. They invited me to help assess the need for the Albanians to establish a military chaplaincy as they anticipate the possibility of casualties from their combat mission in Afghanistan. Currently, their law prohibits religious expression in the military even though its permitted by law in the civilian population since 1991.
  • October 26, 2009

    On the Road with Dr. Hubner

    In support of EUCOM’s efforts to do more interagency partnering, I found myself driving through the pouring rain out of Tirana, Albania to visit a remote hospital in Kukes. Kukes is one of 14 hospitals in Albania we would like to connect to the main Albanian hospital through telemedicine. This project would combine the efforts of USAID, an NGO and the DoD to link the hospitals by using the internet for training, counsel and a second opinion via a program like Skype. It will allow Albanian citizens with complex or rare medical conditions to receive high quality care from Albanian and potentially world-wide specialists. This is a major feat for a country with a poorly developed transportation system and difficult living conditions. Interagency team made up of: J4-Medical Readiness, Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Minister of Health of Kukes, University of Arizona, Tucson, director, Kukes Regional Hospital, J4-Humanitarian Assistance. (Photo by Tara Clark)
  • October 26, 2009

    So Long But Not Goodbye - Logistics Exercise 2009

    That’s a wrap as they say in Hollywood, or so I’ve heard.  Eighteen months of planning, training, and effort finished with the after action review. 

Videos RSS

  • June 8, 2012

    Immediate Response 2012: A look at week one

    Footage taken during the first week of Immediate Response 2012 (IR12) training event held in Slunj, Croatia from May 26 thru June 10, 2012. IR12 is a multinational tactical field training exercise that will involve more than 700 personnel primarily from the U.S. Army Europe's 2nd Cavalry Regiment and Croatian armed forces, with contingents from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Slovenia. Macedonia and Serbia will send observers to the exercise.
  • June 8, 2012

    Immediate Response 2012: So Pharr, So Good

    Pvt. Jacob Pharr with the with the 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment distinguishes himself during training at Immediate Response 2012. Immediate Response 12 is a multinational tactical field exercise that involves more than 700 personnel from the U.S. Army Europe's 2nd Cavalry Regiment and Croatian land forces, with elements from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Slovenia. Macedonia and Serbia have brought observers.
  • June 8, 2012

    Immediate Response 2012: Slovenian Troops In A Fire Fight

    Pvt. Tonya Breznik of the Slovenian Armed Forces talks about the training going on during Immediate Response 2012 and how it relates to here experience serving in Afghanistan in support of the International Security Assistance Force there. Immediate Response 12 is a multinational tactical field exercise that involves more than 700 personnel from the U.S. Army Europe's 2nd Cavalry Regiment and Croatian land forces, with elements from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Slovenia. Macedonia and Serbia have brought observers.