15 years of CIMA Research Foundation in Albania: a partnership that continues to build resilience

Some anniversaries tell a story that goes far beyond the passage of time. They speak of relationships built day by day, shared expertise, and a partnership that has evolved alongside the challenges it has been called upon to address. This is the significance of the fifteenth anniversary of CIMA Research Foundation's branch in Albania, established in 2011 and now a national reference point for applied research, innovation, and cooperation in the field of disaster risk reduction.

To mark this milestone, CIMA Research Foundation President Luca Ferraris, Director of the CIMA Albania Office Miranda Deda, Programme Director Cosimo Versace, and Associate Director Nicola Rebora are on an institutional visit to Tirana, hosted by the Albanian National Civil Protection Agency (AKMC). The visit provides an opportunity to reflect on the journey undertaken together with Albanian partners while defining new perspectives for collaboration in the years ahead.

From emergency response to long-term cooperation

CIMA Research Foundation's presence in Albania has its roots in the floods that affected the Shkodra area in 2010. That emergency marked the beginning of a collaboration between the Italian Civil Protection Department and Albanian institutions, leading to the establishment of CIMA Research Foundation's office in Tirana in 2011, with the aim of providing scientific and technical expertise to strengthen the country's capacity to address natural hazards.

Over the years, this collaboration has progressively expanded, evolving into a structured process of institutional and technological development. CIMA Research Foundation has contributed to the design and consolidation of Albania's national civil protection system, supporting national institutions in the introduction of forecasting, monitoring and early warning tools, the production of risk maps, the development of operational decision-support platforms, and the training of technical personnel.

Among the most significant achievements are the contribution to the development of the national early warning system, support for the implementation of the EU Floods Directive and the Albanian Civil Protection Law of 2019, the deployment of tools such as myDEWETRA, DesInventar, ERRA, and the ACRONET monitoring network, as well as the delivery of numerous capacity-building activities for national and local institutions.

The fifteenth anniversary also comes just a few months after the renewal of the partnership between CIMA Research Foundation and the Albanian National Civil Protection Agency through the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding, reaffirming the shared commitment to continue a joint path of research, innovation, and institutional capacity strengthening.

A visit to celebrate the journey and build the future

The institutional mission taking place these days is part of this ongoing journey.

During the visit, meetings were held with the Albanian National Civil Protection Agency (AKMC), the Italian Embassy in Tirana, and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). The delegation discussed ongoing initiatives and future opportunities for collaboration with its partners, with particular attention to public early warning systems, regional programmes promoted by AICS, and new projects dedicated to disaster risk reduction and territorial resilience.

The visit represented an important opportunity for strategic dialogue to consolidate the work carried out so far and define shared priorities for the coming years, identifying operational tools-including early warning systems-that can support institutions in strengthening the national civil protection system and enhancing disaster risk management.

In a context where the impacts of climate change are making natural hazards increasingly complex and interconnected, building effective civil protection systems means investing not only in technologies and operational tools, but above all in the partnerships between institutions, the research community, and local territories.