Albania’s army getting closer to NATO standards

Albania, now a NATO member since more than two years, needs to further its reforms to reach the alliance’s standards.
Albania’s Defense Minister Arben Imami said that the tiny western Balkan country will continue to be part of the international peacekeeping missions, mainly now in Afghanistan. Imami held an end-of-the-year press conference Tuesday to present what the ministry has done and what is waiting for ahead.
The minister said that the army had continued to update and upgrade its human and military resources to reach the international standards required from the Alliance.
The minister said that the process of getting rid of the excess ammunition continued successfully in 2011, resulting in the dismantle of some 26,500 tons of ammunition. That makes it sure that the process will come to an end in 2013 as some 38,000 tons are still to be processed. The minister also said that there is now on “zero” threat to the population from the former military depots and excess ammunition.
“(2012) will be decisive in the full completion of the dismantle programme for the excess ammunition,” he said.
There are 346 Albanian troops in international peacekeeping missions in the world. During 2011 the Albanian army also served to train the Afghan army.
Albania has made it clear it is not going to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan until NATO decides to, at a time when many other member countries have already made that decision in an effort to cut military expenses.
The Albanian army will continue to spend money to upgrade its military technique. After the new military ship, totally built from the Albanian marine (with the Dutch assistance), it plans to have other upgrades. The upgrade of the system of information remains one of the goals to be fulfilled in the near future. Next year Albania is also expecting to be equipped with one more military ship and three new helicopters. Next year will also see the application of the new structure of the Albanian army, which is now totally professional. During 2011 the Albanian army has also been a main factor of the emergency situation management. It was seen during the flooding in northwestern Albania at the beginning of the year when the Albanian troops played a very important role in helping the civil population and also the authorities to cope with the flooding.
In 2012 the Albanian army will also celebrate its 100th anniversary, which is only days after the country’s independence.
The ministry has also planned to complete a legislative reform on the army’s structure and its military ranking.
It has also planned to create an ecological armed force that is likely to cover ecological threats in the country.
“Our goal is to turn the army into the avant-garde of the protection of the environment, a pioneer of the promotion of its maintenance and care, what in essence is the respect to the human being,” said the minister.