Albania-Kosovo brotherhood, how strong have we become? From symbolism to numbers. 18 years of economic deepening between the two countries
Kosovo marks 180 years of independence today, while the relationship with Albania has moved from political symbolism to a consolidated economic partnership. From trade to investment, from tourism to infrastructure, the figures signal a deepened integration between the two Albanian economies.
"Scan Intel" has analyzed foreign trade figures over the years, as one of the most important indicators of partnership between countries. How have the volumes of trade exchanges between the two countries changed since 2007 until today? The figures show that imports from Kosovo in value have increased by 644%, while exports to Kosovo have increased by 624%. So, Albania and Kosovo have a close partnership in terms of trade exchanges, but it has significantly deepened this position during these 18 years, official figures indicate. Before the declaration of Independence, Albania's trade surplus with Kosovo was fixed at 4.7 billion lek, while in 2025 it rose to 17.5 billion lek, i.e. it has increased 7 times.
Albania's imports from Kosovo in 2025 are estimated at nearly 16.1 billion lek, while exports are estimated at around 33.6 billion lek.
However, these figures are not stripped of the effect of inflation or the depreciation of the euro, which have been present during these 18 years, especially during the last few years. If we were to analyze trade exchanges not in value, but in volume, then we would notice that exports to Kosovo have increased by 480%, while imports to our country from Kosovo have increased by only 50% over these 18 years. It should be noted that the analysis by weight is approximate, as it does not have value for all products. However, in this case we also notice the same thing, that Albania has deepened the positions of its “big brother”.
On the other hand, Kosovo has been the main investor in Albania for 2025. Bank of Albania data show that for the entire 9-month period, direct investments from Kosovo reached 153 million euros, with an increase of 139% compared to the same period a year ago.
For the same period, Albania's investments in Kosovo are estimated at 67 million euros. Investments between the two countries have increased significantly over the last 10 years.
Regarding the number of businesses, INSTAT figures show that by the end of 2024 there were around 582 entities with capital from Kosovo carrying out economic activity in Albania.
Another aspect where we should focus the analysis of relations between the two countries is tourism. According to INSTAT data, in recent years the largest share of arrivals has been from Kosovo. In 2025, around 4.66 million arrivals are recorded, with a significant increase.
In 2025, the number of citizens from Kosovo with a residence permit reached 6,076 residents, which constitutes about 22% of the total. Compared to 2024, their number has increased by 32%.
Among other things, Albania and Kosovo have a common electricity exchange, for fairer competition and reliable prices. We should not forget to mention the important infrastructure projects, such as the National Highway, which has brought the two countries closer together. But the most ambitious project is the construction of a railway line with a length of about 130 km.
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