Japan’s Assistance Policy to Albania is about supporting balanced and sustainable economic development. Through its Official Development Assistance (ODA) program, Japan targets two primary pillars: environment and equitable growth. To support these initiatives, Japan partners with Albania to enhance its capabilities in critical sectors, including management and conservation of the natural environment, waste and water management, and disaster risk reduction and prevention.

As a part of concrete measures under the “Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative”, technical cooperation projects with common challenges within the Western Balkans have been undertaken to share Japan’s expertise in the areas such as disaster risk reduction or environmental protection.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is spearheading a vital technical cooperation project in Albania, targeting environmental resilience through the dual deployment of the National Forest Fire Information System (NFFIS) and Nature-based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction (NbS-DRR).

At the NbS pilot sites in the Bovilla Watershed, Project Chief Advisor Mr. Yuta Morikawa, Project Technical Expert Mr. Daisuke Yumiyama, and National Project Coordinator Mr. Sajmir Hoxha detailed the project’s ongoing interventions designed to mitigate climate-induced disasters.

National Forest Fire Information System – NFFIS

NFFIS has been developed as a national WebGIS platform to strengthen Albania’s institutional capacities for the prevention, monitoring and management of forest fires.

The system has now been developed with all the planned functionalities and integrates geospatial data and information from various sources, creating a common information platform for the responsible institutions. Through it, the aim is to improve information sharing, access to data and decision-making support during the prevention, monitoring and management of forest fires.

Following the completion of the development of the system’s main functionalities, preliminary training on the use of NFFIS was also conducted. The training served to familiarize institutional users with the structure, functions and use of the platform, as well as to practically test its functionalities. This phase is important for the transition from technical development to operational use of the system and for identifying needs for further improvements based on users’ experience and feedback.

NFFIS also draws on JICA’s experience in the Western Balkans, where similar forest fire information systems have been developed in North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, while a similar approach is also being implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This creates an important basis for the transfer of experience, exchange of good practices and strengthening of regional cooperation.

With the completion of the system’s construction and the implementation of the preliminary training, the focus is shifting towards consolidating the use of NFFIS, testing it under real operational conditions and strengthening the capacities of user institutions. The objective is for NFFIS to function as a sustainable national platform that can be continuously used to support forest fire management in Albania.

NbS-DRR for Erosion Control in Bovilla

The other main component of the project relates to the demonstration of Nature-based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Bovilla watershed. The Bovilla Reservoir is a water resource of strategic importance for Tirana and the surrounding areas, while its watershed is exposed to land degradation, erosion and sediment transport. These processes contribute to increased turbidity following intense rainfall and, in the long term, to sediment accumulation in the reservoir.

To address these issues, the project has implemented the NbS-DRR concept, combining structural erosion control measures with vegetation rehabilitation and ecological restoration. Two pilot areas near the village of Zall-Bastar have been selected to demonstrate in practice the application of this approach under different conditions of degradation and erosion.

In Pilot Area 1, characterized by steep slopes, limited vegetation cover and active erosion channels, combined interventions were carried out to stabilize the channels and slopes. The works included gabion check dams in the larger channels, check dams and terraces made of woody material in the smaller channels, measures for surface soil protection, planting, as well as perimeter fencing. The measures were designed to reduce surface runoff velocity, limit erosion and sediment transport and create more favorable conditions for vegetation development.

Pilot Area 2 presented a different type of degradation, characterized by unstable accumulation of sediments in the streambed, erosion at the base of the slopes, bank instability and localized collapses. The interventions included a gabion check dam, retaining structures and protective gabion lining, masonry structures with stone and cement mortar, as well as other measures for stabilizing and rehabilitating the area.

At this stage, the planned works in both pilot areas have been completed. The project has now moved from the main phase of physical implementation to the monitoring and maintenance phase of the completed interventions. This phase is particularly important for an NbS intervention, as its effectiveness depends not only on the completion of the structures, but also on the progressive stabilization of the terrain, vegetation development and the combined functioning of structural and biological elements.

Japanese Government Assistance to NGO “Hope for Life”

The Government of Japan has supported the NGO “Hope for Life” through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), with the aim of supporting the NGO to improve services for persons with disabilities and supporting their social reintegration.

In 2019, Japan provided funding for specialized machinery and equipment for the organization’s Prosthetics and Orthotics Workshop in Tirana. The assistance included professional equipment for the production of prosthetic limbs, including a lamination workstation, socket router, zigzag sewing machine, clean air and dust extractor, and plaster modeling table. This equipment was intended to improve the efficiency and quality of prosthetic production, which the organization provides free of charge to persons with physical disabilities throughout Albania.

Under the FY2025 GGP, Japan continued its support through the “Project for the Provision of Equipment to the Prosthetics and Orthotics Workshop in Tirana,” providing specialized equipment to further strengthen the capacity of the prosthetics and orthotics workshop. This continued assistance aims to strengthen the organization’s technical capacities, improve the provision of services to persons with disabilities, and support their inclusion and social reintegration.

As part of the press tour, journalists visited the prosthetics and orthotics workshop managed by the “Hope for Life”organization. The site visit was hosted by the organization’s Head, Mr. Izet Onuzi, and his son, Mr. Feriz Onuzi, a prosthetics technician. During the visit, Mr. Izet Onuzi, who lost four limbs in a past railway accident, and Mr. Arif Dauti, a local beneficiary of the service, shared their deeply moving personal journeys. Both expressed deep gratitude for the vital support provided by the Japanese Embassy, highly commending the significant advancements in mobility services and care now available to persons with disabilities.

Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) aims to address the diverse needs of local communities by directly supporting development projects and initiatives implemented by local government units, public educational and healthcare institutions, and non-governmental organizations.

*Political editor, ADN