Despite a steady increase in Albania's agricultural output over the past several decades, the country continues to trail behind its neighbors. The seemingly obvious obstacles preventing…

Fernando Blanco, Laureta Qorlazja |

The impacts of COVID-19 and consequent supply chain disruptions have driven some companies to bring supply chains closer to production. The global automotive industry is an example. This is an…

Niharika Sachdeva, Fernando Blanco, Emmanuel Pouliquen, Turhan Semizer |

To protect vulnerable populations and promote economic growth, policymakers in the Western Balkans should take into account the heterogeneity of inflation rates experienced by different households…

Anna Fruttero, Leonardo Lucchetti, Carlos Ospino, Zurab Sajaia |

For the Western Balkan countries, aspirations to join the EU mean urgency to align with the bloc’s climate and environmental policy acquis. All six countries—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,…

Anita Hafner, Marissa Santikarn |

The Balkans often evoke images of conflict and fragmentation. But on the digital front, countries across Southeast Europe are working together to build robust broadband network connecting millions…

Natalija Gelvanovska-Garcia |

Blog about how the global crises and uncertainty are testing the economic resilience of the Western Balkans. And what the governments across the region should consider in order to build greater…

Sanja Madzarevic-Sujster, Richard Record, Natasha Rovo |

To build on the Utility of the Future program, the World Bank, in partnership with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), is establishing the Utility of the Future Center of…

Karin Gallandat, Sven Schlumpberger, Federico Perez Penalosa, Camilo Lombana Cordoba |

Focusing on Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu, in late 2020 the World Bank conducted roughly 450 interviews with temporary migrant workers, their families and communities, and their employers. We…

Kirstie Petrou, Dung Doan, Ursula Casabonne |

The Western Balkan countries need to remain vigilant about the impact of climate change on their financial sectors by prioritizing green taxonomies, promoting prudential management of climate and…

Jane Hwang, Ismael Ahmad Fontan, Alper Oguz, Vahe Vardanyan |

In a striking example, Albania has shown how the tourism sector can drive economic development. Following the country’s turbulent economic and political transition in the 1990s, tourism was…

Raha Shahidsaless, Fernando Blanco, Stefka Slavova, Laureta Qorlazja |