Bank of Albania Second Deputy Governor Natasha Ahmetaj spoke at the Albanian Diaspora Summit, setting out how diaspora engagement and remittances link to Albania’s European integration and sustainable economic development, and pointing to reforms in remittance channels, payments and fintech. Ahmetaj described the diaspora as a key source of human and financial capital, noting that remittances are a significant contributor to household income and gross domestic product. She outlined central bank reforms aimed at formalising and improving the efficiency of remittance transfer channels to reduce costs and expand families’ access to the financial system, alongside work on a dedicated low-value payments strategy, the adoption of a legal framework for payment services, and measures to support fintech-driven financial inclusion. She also highlighted Albania’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area as a step towards EU financial integration, expected to lower transfer costs and improve the efficiency of cross-border payments while supporting innovation.
Bank of Albania 2026-04-15
Bank of Albania highlights remittance cost-cutting reforms, payments strategy and SEPA accession at Albanian Diaspora Summit
The Bank of Albania’s Second Deputy Governor Natasha Ahmetaj highlighted at the Albanian Diaspora Summit the central bank’s reforms to formalise and improve remittance channels, develop a low-value payments strategy, implement a legal framework for payment services and support fintech-driven financial inclusion. She underscored the diaspora’s role as a key source of human and financial capital and noted that Albania’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area is expected to reduce transfer costs and enhance cross-border payment efficiency.