The equipment was delivered under the Memorandum of Understanding for the “Western Balkans Cybersecurity Laboratory: Training, Innovation and Expertise Exchange”, which aims to develop the laboratory at AKSK into a regional hub for advanced training, simulations, knowledge exchange, and cooperation among cybersecurity experts from the Western Balkan countries.

The new infrastructure will create opportunities to strengthen the practical skills of professionals and students across the region, particularly in incident response, digital forensics, penetration testing, and cyber resilience.

The Director General of AKSK, Bledar Kazia, expressed his appreciation for the support provided by GIZ and the German Federal Government, emphasizing that the expansion of this cooperation creates new opportunities to share expertise and build joint capacities with Western Balkan partners.

The support is provided through the “Partnership for Strengthening Cybersecurity” project, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ.

Albania has ranked first in the world in the National Cyber Security Index (NCSI), achieving a score of 98.33 points and placing the country at the top of the global ranking for the development of national cybersecurity capabilities.

This position marks a significant and sustained improvement in the international ranking—from 54th place in 2023 to 15th place in 2025, and now to first place globally.

The National Cyber Security Index assesses countries’ capacities to prevent and manage cyber risks, protect essential services, respond to cyber incidents, develop national policies and strategies, advance education and professional development, and strengthen international cooperation.

Albania’s score reflects the progress achieved in strengthening its legal and strategic framework, consolidating the responsible institutions, developing national institutional and professional capacities, and improving mechanisms for coordination, prevention, and response to cyber threats.

This ranking also reflects the continued work of the National Authority for Cyber Security to enhance the resilience of critical and important information infrastructures, strengthen national and international cooperation, and foster a secure and resilient cybersecurity ecosystem.

Albania’s first-place ranking confirms the country’s progress in cybersecurity and the alignment of its national capabilities with international standards and best practices.

Report link: https://ncsi.ega.ee/country/al/

In his remarks, NCSA Director General Bledar Kazia commended the cooperation with Critical and Important Information Infrastructures and their role in enhancing the country’s cybersecurity posture. He emphasized that, in the face of an ever-evolving threat landscape, incident reporting, continuous communication, and coordinated response remain key elements in protecting critical infrastructures.

The meeting also addressed the Authority’s priorities for the upcoming period, including strengthening monitoring capabilities, establishing sectoral CSIRTs, and providing continuous support to critical and important infrastructures through audits, security testing, and capacity-building training activities.

The meeting served as a platform for dialogue to address shared challenges and further strengthen cooperation towards a safer and more resilient digital environment.

NCSA extends its appreciation to DCAF for its continued support and partnership in strengthening national cybersecurity capacities.

The training aimed to strengthen cybersecurity standards within institutions and enhance the professional capacities of employees by equipping them with the skills required to carry out cybersecurity audits, in line with legal requirements and international standards.

This activity is part of a series of trainings that will continue throughout the year, with a focus on supporting critical and important infrastructures in meeting legal requirements related to cybersecurity.

In implementation of Law No. 25/2024 “On Cybersecurity” and the relevant methodology, the Council of Ministers has approved the updated list of operators of critical and important information infrastructure, comprising a total of 215 operators at the national level:
🔹 133 classified as critical infrastructure,
🔹 82 classified as important information infrastructure.

The identification process was conducted by the National Cybersecurity Authority (AKSK) through a structured and comprehensive methodology that included: identifying high-criticality sectors and subsectors, consulting with relevant regulatory authorities, distributing self-assessment questionnaires, and analyzing the data in accordance with general and sector-specific criteria.

The updated list covers a range of sectors, including energy, financial infrastructure, transportation, drinking water supply, digital service providers, education, tourism, media, and more.

All these operators are now part of a stable structure that is continuously monitored by AKSK, which provides:
✅ Access to technical assistance and methodological support for building security policies;
✅ Capacity-building training programs;
✅ Legal obligations for implementing security measures, incident reporting, and more.

The inclusion of these operators represents both a strategic responsibility to protect the state’s and society’s key functions in an increasingly interconnected digital environment, and a legal obligation in line with the applicable regulatory framework.

During the meetings held today, representatives of the operators were introduced to the new legal framework and to the role of AKSK as the supervisory authority. The discussions focused on obligations arising from inclusion in the list, including the implementation of security measures, the establishment of internal structures for cybersecurity risk management, and the procedures for incident reporting.

Present at these meetings, the General Director of AKSK, Mr. Igli Tafa, praised the inclusion of new operators as a crucial step towards expanding national cybersecurity protection. He emphasized that the knowledge and experience accumulated by the Authority over the years will be shared to support the newly included operators. According to him, close cooperation with each involved entity is essential for building a safe and sustainable digital environment. He described the new operators as “cybersecurity ambassadors,” underlining their emerging role in protecting critical functions that support institutional life and the public interest.

AKSK will continue to offer technical support and dedicated training for the involved entities, with the aim of effectively implementing legal requirements and strengthening internal capacities to face ongoing cybersecurity challenges.

This event was attended by the General Director of the National Cyber Security Authority (AKSK), Mr. Igli Tafa, representatives from UNDP offices from the countries of the Western Balkans, Moldova, Georgia, Mrs. Monica Merino representative of UNDP Albania, Mr. Sokol Haxhiu director of Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) Albania as well as representatives from the National Information Society Agency (AKSHI).

The possibility of designing a regional program for responding to cyber security challenges was discussed which aims to share knowledge and experience in addressing these needs, including identifying key sectors to engage and support.