The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has signed a grant agreement with the Municipality of Tirana to establish “Qatar Square,” a €11 million project in the heart of the Albanian capital.

The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the Municipality of Tirana have signed a grant agreement to establish the “Qatar Square”, a €11mn (around $12mn) project, in the heart of the Albanian capital.

The signing took place on Tuesday in Tirana between Sultan Bin Ahmed Al-Aseeri, the Acting director general of QFFD, and Erion Veliaj, Mayor of the Municipality of Tirana.

“The main square is planned to be constructed in the heart of the capital, Tirana, on an area of (23.7) thousand square meters, up to 11 million euros,” QFFD said in a statement.

The Qatar Square will include facilities that would host celebrations, exhibitions and events in addition to shops and gathering spaces. The structure will also include a developed water fertilisation system for the “Lido” river to fertilise the area’s garden. 

Some 25,000 houses will be built in the Qatar Square’s surroundings.

According to QFFD, the project’s design is inspired by the traditional Qatar “Sedu” pattern, a commonly used Bedouin weaving style, in order to reflect the Gulf state’s culture and heritage.

“The establishment of this project contributes to the wheel of development and revives the local labor market by making this square an important centre. It also reflects the essential role of the State of Qatar in developing other countries and societies most in need,” QFFD noted.

Mayor Veliaj described the mega project as a step in establishing the “Tirana of tomorrow”.

“We will have the opportunity to do quality work that will remain in Tirana for hundreds of years, just as the friendship between Albania and Qatar will continue for hundreds of years. I am really grateful to them because this is one of the biggest grants that the city of Tirana has received since its foundation,” he said.

Qatar and Albania’s diplomatic ties date back to 1992, which followed the establishment of Doha’s embassy in Tirana in 2012. Mutual visits between both countries took place over the past years.

In 2015, Albania’s then-Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati visited Qatar, followed by a visit in 2019 by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. Qatar and Albania have also been holding political consultations in a bid to further strengthen their bilateral relations.