Minister Gjiknuri in Washington, meetings at the State Department

Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Mr. Damian Gjiknuri is in the United States of America for a working visit. During his stay in Washington and New York, he will hold meetings with senior officials of the Department of State, the Department of Energy, as well as congressmen and representatives of well-known US companies in the field of energy.

The first meeting of Minister Gjiknuri was held with the Special Charge for Energy Issues in the State Department, Sue Saarnio.

The deepening of cooperation with the United States in the framework of efforts to increase energy security in Europe, the Southern Gas Corridor and the construction of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) pipeline were the focus of interlocutors. Minister Gjiknuri recognized the US official with the steps taken by the Albanian government to facilitate the construction phase of this very important project that changes the country’s energy map.

Mr. Gjiknuri also focused on the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline project (IAP), thanking the United States for the support they are giving to this new pipeline that affects not only Albania but Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia.

“At a time when the TAP project is already in the intensive stage of implementation, we are working closely with the neighboring countries to make a reality with the IAP. Also, within the diversification of energy sources, we have already completed the master plan for gasification of the country, “said Mr. Gjiknuri.

Another area discussed during the meeting was that of hydrocarbons. The State Department’s representative underscored the willingness of the US government to continue to cooperate with expertise in the framework of good oil resource management.

Minister Gjiknuri insisted that in addition to expertise, the presence of US companies with experience in the field of hydrocarbons would help in this direction. During the meeting, the Albanian Government plans to develop free research blocks on land and sea as well as for the restructuring of the state oil company Albpetrol.