Anchoring Albania in Europe: The Strategic Importance of Seaports and Corridor VIII - Azmi Stringa, September 2026

1. In economics and geopolitics, when the best option is not available, it is immediately replaced by the next most viable alternative. Although internal rhetoric during communism claimed opposition to neighboring countries such as Greece and Yugoslavia, in practice Albania’s isolation served only their interests, and Enver Hoxha was de facto one of their greatest allies (few dictators vacation 1 km from the land and lake border of a country they consider an enemy). By isolating Albania, he removed it from regional trade and logistics routes simply to maintain his own power (it is no coincidence that Albania broke with Russia and China precisely when they began opening). Legend has it that even one of the very few, if not the only, relatively wide roads built during communism, the short stretch connecting the then-new metallurgical plant to the city of Elbasan (around 5 km), was deliberately curved to prevent the potential landing of enemy aircraft. As long as we do not compete with or pose a risk to the interest of our neighbors, they are not only comfortable with us, but also willing to support, through their international influence, whoever rules Albania. An Albania outside logistics networks means greater dependence on corridors that pass through other countries. And as we are seeing today, re-entering international and regional transport and logistics networks takes time, investment, and long-term vision.

2. Albania has done well, and only does well, when goods and people move through the country. If it fails to leverage its strategic position (whether due to internal or external reasons), it risks once again becoming a peripheral corner or an economically underdeveloped endpoint. Our economic history clearly demonstrates this. Albania has experienced two distinct states of development, directly tied to its regional role. When our ports and corridors have served as connectors between East and West, we have seen our best periods of social and economic vitality. When these East–West exchanges were reduced or cut off - during the Iron Curtain, the communist isolation, or even the late Ottoman period - the country became economically isolated and underdeveloped. Therefore, for Albania, developing ports and corridors like Corridor VIII is not a choice, it is a necessity.

3. Albania’s ports provide Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia with the shortest and most direct access to EU markets and Italy. The Adriatic region market is sufficiently large (around 100 million people), stable, developed, and friendly, to positively contribute to regional economic growth and entrepreneurship.

4. Albania’s ports and Corridor VIII increase the country’s economic resilience. Today, our economy relies disproportionately on relatively low-productivity and high-risk sectors such as tourism (as seen during COVID) and construction (closely linked to tourism). Developing transport and logistics corridors creates the foundation for economic diversification and for building more productive and sustainable sectors.

5. Tourism and agriculture, while important, are not sufficient to ensure long-term prosperity. Even countries like Croatia and Greece are not just tourism or agriculture economies; they have developed other higher-value, more productive sectors that support their level of welfare. This is the path Albania must follow if it aims to reach at least their level of development. By developing our ports and becoming a regional logistics hub through Corridor VIII, we can not only diversify our economy but also increase competitiveness and create greater value and prosperity for Albanians across the region.

6. For a small market like Albania, leveraging integration into regional and international logistics networks is critical. Corridor VIII enables integration into supply chains and markets that take time to build or shift but generate long-term economic and strategic benefits. This increases Albania’s regional relevance, turning it into a key connecting node between the Adriatic and the Black Sea. Many transport and logistics experts emphasize that integrating Corridor VIII with Corridor X creates one of the shortest economic routes from the Mediterranean/North Africa to Central and Eastern Europe. In this sense, Albania has the potential to become a key node along this route, significantly increasing its importance in the regional economic map.

7. From a geostrategic perspective, this corridor allows Albania to anchor Kosovo and North Macedonia to the Adriatic, creating a natural economic and strategic axis toward the West. At the same time, it reduces their and our dependence on corridors passing through countries that are not always friendly or predictable for our interests and overreliance on alternative regional routes.

8. Integration into European transport and logistics networks also enhances national security. The more economic and strategic interests our partners have in Albania, the more stable we become as a country. This lowers risk premiums, improves the investment climate, and reduces exposure to adverse geopolitical developments.

9. The importance of integrating ports, Corridor VIII, and trade routes is even greater today, in a world where uncertainty has increased, economic decoupling is underway, and global competition for energy and strategic resources is intensifying. In this context, the risk grows that smaller countries may be pushed to the periphery, excluded from key economic networks, or end up on the wrong side of geopolitical developments. As Canada’s Prime Minister has put it, even medium-sized countries face the same reality: if you are not at the table, you risk being on the menu. For Albania, it is therefore essential to position itself clearly within these networks, becoming as valuable as possible to major allies.

10. The Port of Durrës and Corridor VIII also contribute to security and defense infrastructure. They strengthen Albania’s and its allies’ capacity for mobility, supply, and rapid response across the region, from Albania to Bulgaria via North Macedonia. In this sense, Albanians have a double interest: this infrastructure directly contributes to defense against powers that have historically not been friendly to Albania and Albanians. Corridor VIII reduces NATO’s dependence on routes passing through regional countries that then to be more sympathetic to Russian or China, and whose objectives might not necessarily align with those of Albania and Kosovo.

In conclusion, the Port of Durrës/Vlorë and Corridor VIII are far more than infrastructure projects. They are instruments of economic development, increased competitiveness, stronger regional influence, and enhanced national security through deeper integration into the Euro-Atlantic space. Even if these projects are not among the EU’s top priorities, they remain vital for Albania. These are among our most strategic assets, and we must do everything possible to develop, modernize, and utilize them for the country’s long-term benefit. Their development should remain guided by long-term national and regional interests, rather than serve as bargaining tools for politicians seeking to stay in power.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Azmi Stringa, is a lecturer of Finance at the University of New York Tirana and a consultant based in Albania.

The opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation or the organizations the authors work for.