The Aspen Institute Germany, in cooperation with Albania’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, hosted the high-level conference “Structural Change in the Western Balkans” in Tirana from October 27 to 30, 2025. The event addressed key regional challenges driven by digitalization, the energy transition, and the development of transport technologies. Structural changes present unique challenges for the Western Balkans, particularly in labor markets, skills development, and social cohesion. The main drivers of these transformations include technological advances, demographic and climate changes, migration, competition, and geopolitical shifts.
The session “Climate and Energy” focused on structural change in the fields of climate and energy in the Western Balkans and featured expert input from Dr. Ana-Maria Boromisa, Head of the Department for International Economic and Political Relations at IRMO.
The conference aimed to bring together experts and policymakers from the Western Balkans, Germany, the EU, the United States, and international organizations to discuss strategies for managing transformation in the region. The event was organized as part of the “Western Balkans Initiative: Engagement for Progress and Stability,” supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Photo credit: Aspen Institute Germany / LinkedIn
