FIRESIDE CHAT WITH MINISTER BELINDA BALLUKU - The Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center hosted on October 4, 2021, a hybrid event featuring Her Excellency Belinda Balluku, Albanian minister of infrastructure and energy.

Clean energy infrastructure projects are critical for ensuring sustainable economic growth and security of supply in Southeastern Europe. In particular, energy developments in Albania could play an important role in strengthening regional security. Minister Balluku started the discussion with an update on Albania’s energy and cyber security priorities. The conversation also highlighted the geopolitics of infrastructure investments in the region and how the US can support energy markets integration, diversification of routes and sources, clean energy deployment, and regional cohesion in Southeastern Europe. Amb. Richard Morningstar, the Global Energy Center’s founding chairman and former US ambassador to the European Union and Azerbaijan, provided opening remarks, and Ian Brzezinski, Atlantic Council senior fellow and former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO policy, moderated.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 10/04/21