On the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels, a meeting was held at Italy’s request between the Foreign Ministers of Italy, Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Romania to discuss the relaunch of the Corridor VIII initiative.
The infrastructure consists of 1,300 kilometres of railway and 960 kilometres of roads, connecting the ports of Bari and Brindisi in Apulia with Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria. The main financiers of Corridor VIII are the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), alongside the European Union through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
Minister Tajani highlighted the project’s significant economic and political importance, describing it as a key infrastructure scheme designed to strengthen connectivity and trade between the Adriatic and Black Seas, promote the integration of the Western Balkans with the rest of Europe, and generate substantial opportunities for companies involved in its implementation.
He also stressed the need to accelerate efforts to restart the project promptly, highlighting its strategic importance for security and defence, as it could enhance military mobility for both the EU and NATO.
During the meeting, Albania formally submitted its candidacy to host the next Ministerial meeting of the countries involved in Corridor VIII in early 2026, as announced at the Italy-Albania Summit on 13 November. The first Ministerial meeting had been organised by Italy in Brindisi in 2023.
