The "unusual" places where Albanian products went/ New trade map: From Jordan and Uganda, to Turkmenistan and Tunisia
If we usually talk about the traditional markets of Albanian exports: Italy, Kosovo, Greece, Germany, the picture of 2025 looks familiar. A decline in the two main markets of Kosovo and Italy, modest growth in Greece and Germany, and a strong expansion towards Spain. But the real surprises occur below the usual line, where names appear that are usually not even listed among partners, while this year they have made dizzying leaps.
One of the most striking examples is Jordan, which went from just 2.8 million lek in January-October last year, to over 77 million lek in 2025, an extraordinary jump usually associated with one-off shipments of specific products, such as means of transport. The same trend is followed by Uganda, with an increase of 692%, transforming from an almost non-existent market into a destination where Albanian exports have multiplied in a year. The products sent to Uganda are mainly pharmaceuticals.
Tunisia, El Salvador and Argentina are also on the list of destinations where the increases are extraordinary. Tunisia, for example, tripled the amount of imports from Albania, while El Salvador received a jump of 227%. All these signals speak of the increasingly visible expansion of Albanian businesses in markets where competition is small and entry barriers lower than in the EU.
Another interesting phenomenon is the return from zero of some distant markets. Turkmenistan, Barbados and New Zealand, which had no exports last year, appear this year with new figures, some of them significant.
Steady, non-random growth is also seen in some countries that are not among Albania's traditional partners, such as Israel, Malta, Moldova, Egypt and Lithuania. In these markets, export volumes have grown at high rates, suggesting that more structured ties are being established.
On the other hand, some markets that had high absorption last year, such as Malaysia, Luxembourg, Uzbekistan or Ghana, recorded drastic declines, in some cases over 90%.
All these developments speak of a new reality, Albanian exports are no longer limited to a few well-known markets. Albanian companies are penetrating new markets, often small but profitable, proving flexibility. This movement, if it continues, could significantly diversify the economy's sources of income and reduce dependence on a handful of classic partners. The products exported to these countries are means of transport, chemical products, pharmaceutical products, wood and coal articles, fuel, etc.
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