Malaj in the US: Stable Albanian economy, careful fiscal management has strengthened public finances
The Minister of Finance, Petrit Malaj, participated in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, which took place on April 13-18, 2026, in Washington, United States of America. Albania was represented at these meetings by a high-level delegation, which also included the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Gent Sejko, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Endrit Yzeiraj, as well as other senior leaders of the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Albania. The purpose of these meetings was to discuss at the international level global economic developments and issues of international importance, such as growth prospects, financial stability and poverty reduction.
Minister Malaj held a series of meetings with senior IMF and WB leaders, such as the Director of the European Department at the International Monetary Fund, Alfred Kammer; the new Head of the IMF Mission for Albania, Diego Cerdeiro; the Executive Director for Albania at the World Bank, Mr. Matteo Bugamelli and the World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, Ms. Antonella Bassani.
During these meetings, the main economic and financial developments of our country and expectations for the future were discussed, the policies that the Albanian government is undertaking to maintain economic and financial stability, as well as the cooperation between the Albanian government and the two international financial institutions. In particular, the importance of continuing reforms that support the sustainable development and European integration of the country was emphasized.
In these meetings, it was emphasized that Albania has built a high economic resilience in the face of recent global crises and this has been reflected in the maintenance of economic growth and the stability of the financial sector. Prudent economic policies and improved fiscal management have contributed to the strengthening of public finances. In the meantime, the country is expected to continue this positive trajectory, ensuring sustainability in the medium and long term.
For his part, Minister Malaj made a presentation of the main macroeconomic and financial indicators, emphasizing that the Albanian economy grew by 3.8% in 2025 and is expected to grow by 4% in 2026, while unemployment fell to a historic low of 8.3% in 2025 and average wages increased by 8.7%. On the other hand, foreign direct investments continued their positive trend, reaching 1.63 billion euros in 2025, with an annual growth of 3.4%.
The Minister pointed out the fact that through continued fiscal consolidation and careful management of public finances, public debt has continued its downward trajectory, reaching 52.9% of GDP at the end of 2025, from 65% in 2019. Meanwhile, budget revenues recorded an annual increase of 6.2%, reaching around 754.6 billion lek.
The Minister emphasized that these indicators confirm a stable economy, with strong fundamentals and clear potential for further growth in the medium term, at a time when improvements in the country's rating have also been noted by international credit rating institutions such as Standard and Poor's and Moody's, reflecting confidence in the country's economic stability and positive outlook.
Minister Malaj praised the sustainable partnership with the IMF and the World Bank as an important support for advancing economic reforms, strengthening fiscal sustainability and implementing projects with a direct impact on the country's development. The Minister expressed his willingness to continue and deepen this fruitful cooperation, in order to achieve a stronger, more competitive economy closer to European Union standards.
Minister Malaj, together with Governor Gent Sejko, participated in the closed-door meeting organized by the IMF's European Department with the finance ministers and central bank governors of Central, Eastern and Southeastern European countries. The meeting discussed the economic outlook for the region, policymaking challenges and the importance of coordination at a time of high global uncertainties. Malaj emphasized that Albania continues to present itself with stronger macroeconomic fundamentals and a clear commitment to stability and sustainability.
Another important meeting held by the Minister of Finance was with Mr. Jacob Helberg, Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs at the US Department of State, where current economic developments, new global challenges, and opportunities for further strengthening cooperation between our countries were discussed.
Albania considers the US a strategic ally and remains fully committed to deepening this valuable partnership, in the service of economic development, stability, and our shared Euro-Atlantic vision.
Minister Malaj also participated in the meeting on the establishment of the Southeast Europe Technical Assistance Center (SEETAC), an initiative that aims to strengthen institutional capacities and support the design and implementation of economic and financial policies in the countries of Southeast Europe. For Albania, as part of it, SEETAC represents an important instrument of technical cooperation, in order to advance structural reforms, strengthen economic governance and support the European integration process.
Minister Malaj praised the cooperation with Italy, as the lead country of this initiative and especially the Bank of Italy, for its assistance in the membership process, as well as for other important steps in the function of modernizing the financial framework and strengthening the institutional capacities of the country. Albania, Malaj said, remains committed to contributing actively and constructively to this new regional cooperation platform.
Within the framework of the IMF and WB Spring Meetings, the Minister of Finance participated in the 9th Ministerial Roundtable on Ukraine, where the position in support of Ukraine, its sovereignty, territorial integrity and its right to choose its European future was reaffirmed.
Minister Malaj also participated in the presentation of the new global initiative “Water Forward”, organized by the WB Group, designed to strengthen water security and expand partnerships in the water sector, through the mobilization of investments and the promotion of economic potential. In his discussion, Malaj reconfirmed Albania’s commitment to guaranteeing the long-term security of water resources, emphasizing that with clear objectives until 2030 and in close partnership with international institutions, Albania will continue to work to build a modern, sustainable sector fully in line with European standards.
During his stay in Washington, Minister Petrit Malaj held a meeting with representatives of the Albanian diaspora living and working in Washington DC, professionals engaged in international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, IMF and IFC. The meeting discussed the important role of the diaspora in Albania's economic development.
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