EU4SAFEALB: EU Support for the effective management of green and blue borders in Albania

The project supports the achievement of the following results:

Module I: Inception and update of the procurement list

Module II: Procurement of equipment for land border surveillance and control

Module III: Procurement of equipment for maritime border surveillance and control

Module IV: Capacity building

The purpose of the boats includes following activities at sea:
• Blue border surveillance including pursuit operations;
• Inspection activities;
• Search and rescue operations.

Mobile Surveillance Systems increase the ability for situational awareness and early warning, increase the reaction capacities, reduce consumption and costs by providing the surveillance of the large area with the use of the installed specialized surveillance equipment.

Two Mobile Surveillance Systems / Vehicle Based Off-Road were procured and delivered for the Border and Migration Police (BMP) of the Albanian State Police of the Ministry of Interior of Albania

One Mobile Surveillance Workshop  was procured and delivered for the Border and Migration Police (BMP) of the Albanian State Police of the Ministry of Interior of Albania

On 5 July 2022, a special ceremony took place to officially hand over five patrol vessels and two surveillance vehicles to the Border and Migration Police (BMP) of the Albanian State Police of the Ministry of Interior of Albania in Durrës.

From now on, the Border and Migration Police (BMP) is equipped with brand new fleet of boats and vehicles which will enhance the maritime border surveillance, drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes detection and prevention capacity at maritime borders of Albania.   

Dhermi, 12 June 2023 – the official Project Closing and 2nd Handover Ceremony took place at the Border Police station to hand over equipment worth EUR 2.4 million to the Border and Migration Police of the Albanian State Police of the Ministry of Interior of Albania.

The equipment was handed over in the framework of the EUR 6 million EU funded “EU support for the effective management of green and maritime borders in Albania (EU4SAFEALB)” project implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). The equipment will help not only to counter illegal activities on Albania’s coastal border but also allow rapid response for search and rescue operations.

The representatives of the Albanian Ministry of Interior, the Delegation of the European Union, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and other national and international counterparts gathered for the Project Closing and Handover Event. “The equipment handed over today highlights the solid cooperation between the EU and Albania in the area of border management and fight against organised crime. It makes the border police stronger and more effective to provide better security to Albanians, and also helps prepare Albania towards EU membership.  I take this opportunity to thank all the frontline operators for their daily work and confirm that the EU stays committed to supporting you in your work” said Christiane Hohmann, EU Ambassador to Albania.

This event also marked the end of the EU4SAFEALB project, which was part of a wider EU assistance package focusing on the modernisation of Albanian law enforcement and customs agencies, which totals over EUR 30 million of investment in the last 7 years.