The European Union will organise an international donors' conference in Brussels on 17 February for the reconstruction of Albania after the earthquake that devastated the country at the end of November. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she was "happy to announce" this news on Friday 10 January in Zagreb at the end of the meeting of the College of Commissioners. "The European Union stands by its Western Balkans partners", she added at a press conference.
The Commission's initial announcement of such a conference in December was welcomed by the European Council (see EUROPE 12389/3).
Beyond the indispensable humanitarian aid, for which the EU is already mobilised through its Civil Protection Mechanism and bilateral assistance from Member States, the EU makes the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Albania a priority and intends to help mobilise and coordinate the long-term international financial support required to sustain Albania's efforts.
The Commission already announced in December an initial loan of €15 million for the reconstruction of priority public buildings.
The earthquake of 26 November 2019, which killed 51 people, injured 1,000 and forced the temporary displacement of some 14,000 people, destroyed public and private infrastructure. Thousands of buildings were severely damaged, including schools and health care facilities. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)