Relations between Germany and Albania are close and characterised by a spirit of partnership. Germany is supporting Albania in its reforms aimed at strengthening the rule of law, democracy and human rights.

Germany is Albania’s largest bilateral donor in the sphere of development cooperation and supports the country in cooperation with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW). Since 1988, it has provided more than 1.2 billion euro in funding for financial and technical cooperation. The focus is on stabilisation as well as an environmentally friendly and socially sustainable transformation. The overall aim is to improve living conditions and enhance people’s prospects of building a life without migrating – by promoting climate action and renewable energies, as well as by expanding water, sanitation and waste-management infrastructure and by supporting vocational education and training, private-sector development and ecologically sustainable tourism.

Germany is Albania’s fifth largest trading partner. The volume of trade in 2024 was worth 858 million euro, with German exports representing 75% of this amount. The German Association of Industry and Trade in Albania has 91 members who operate in, for example, the trade and logistics branches.

The cultural agreement between Germany and Albania entered into force in March 2019. The Goethe-Zentrum Tirana offers German courses and organises numerous cultural events, in addition to those offered by the German Embassy. Eight partner schools teach German as a foreign language. Six of these receive support from the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA), which seconds German teachers to schools in Tirana on a regular basis. Two other schools are advised by the Goethe-Zentrum. Currently, there are 25 higher education partnerships with German partner universities. In 2022, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provided funding for more than 200 students and academics from Albania. Furthermore, there is a long-term DAAD lecturer position in the German department at the University of Tirana.