TEPELENE, Albania: A strong wind blows scraps of plastic from an open landfill into the Vjosa River in Albania.
A few hundred meters upstream, a large pipe discharges sewage into the fast-flowing water. Elsewhere, diggers scrape gravel from the riverbed to make concrete, which experts say alters the river’s path and destabilizes its banks.
Last month, UNESCO labelled the Vjosa valley in Albania as one of 26 newly-designated Biosphere Reserves, part of an initiative to “safeguard some of the planet’s richest and most fragile ecosystems,” it said in a statement.
In many places the valley, which follows the river’s course from northern Greece to Albania’s Adriatic coast, appears to meet the criteria of an environmentally rich area. It is home to otters, threatened Egyptian vultures and rare plant species.
The river, one of the last uninterrupted waterways in Europe, meanders through tree-lined gorges and lush empty valleys. In 2023, the government declared it a national park.
The designation is a boon for Albania, a Balkan country of 2.4 million people that has seen tourism to its coastline and mountains skyrocket in recent years and is seeking to join the European Union by the end of the decade.
But beneath the sweeping scenery, environmentalists are worried for the future.
“International recognition papers like UNESCO do not solve problems,” said Besjana Guri from the non-governmental environmental organization Lumi (River) during one of her visits to the valley last week.
UNESCO said when issues arise, its experts will initiate consultations with the country’s government to verify them.
“The inclusion of a site in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves does not signify that all challenges have been resolved, but rather that the concerned country has committed to addressing them,” UNESCO said in a statement sent to Reuters.
In previous reports, UNESCO said it would follow rigorous criteria before granting Vjosa biosphere reserve status.
Albania’s Environment Minister, Sofjan Jaupaj, who keeps a framed copy of the UNESCO designation in his office, acknowledged the problems during an interview with Reuters. He said his ministry plans to spend more than 150 million euros to treat sewage water and close all landfills.
For many, the damage is already done. Oil wells and bitumen pits line the river, further risking pollution, they say.
Agron Zia, 55, took sheep and goats out to graze on the river bank last week. He motioned toward the landfill where plastic is kicked up by the wind and caught by the branches of nearby trees.
“When I was young, we used to swim here all summer. It hurts when your children cannot go because of sewage and rubbish,” he said.
In Albania’s new UNESCO site, environmental worries abound
https://arab.news/vqgrm
In Albania’s new UNESCO site, environmental worries abound
- Last month, UNESCO labelled the Vjosa valley in Albania as one of 26 newly-designated Biosphere Reserves
- UNESCO said when issues arise, its experts will initiate consultations with the country’s government to verify them
Somali president to Asharq Al-Awsat: Working with Saudi-led partners to void Israel’s Somaliland recognition
- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud unveils three-pronged diplomatic and legal strategy to defend Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial unity
- Says Mogadishu coordinates with Saudi Arabia and Arab, African partners to counter what he calls a dangerous precedent
RIYADH: Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud unveiled a three-pronged political and legal strategy to nullify what he described as Israeli recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland, warning that such a move threatens Somalia’s sovereignty and regional stability.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Mohamud said his government is acting in close coordination with partners led by Saudi Arabia to safeguard stability and shield the Horn of Africa from what he called “reckless escalation.”
Without naming specific countries, the Somali leader said some regional states may see the Israeli recognition as an opportunity to pursue “narrow, short-term interests at the expense of Somalia’s unity and regional stability.”
“I do not wish to name any particular country or countries,” he said. “But it is clear that some may view this recognition as a chance to achieve limited gains.”
He stressed that Somalia’s unity is a “red line,” adding that Mogadishu has taken firm positions to protect national sovereignty. “We warn against being misled by reckless Israeli adventurism,” he said.
Mohamud was referring to recognition announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent state.
“I affirm with the utmost clarity and firmness that any recognition of Somaliland as an independent state constitutes a blatant violation of the sovereignty and unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” he said.
He described the move as a grave breach of international law, the UN Charter, and African Union resolutions that uphold respect for inherited African borders.
On that basis, Somalia has adopted and will continue to pursue three parallel measures, he revealed.
The first involves immediate diplomatic action through the UN, African Union, and Organization of Islamic Cooperation to reject and legally and politically invalidate the recognition.
Mohamud said Somalia called for and secured a formal session at the UN Security Council to address what he termed a “flagrant Israeli violation” of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The session, he said, marked a significant diplomatic victory for Mogadishu, particularly given Somalia’s current membership on the council.
He expressed “deep appreciation” for statements of solidarity and condemnation issued by the African Union, Arab League, OIC, Gulf Cooperation Council, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the EU, among others.
The second step centers on coordinating a unified Arab, Islamic, and African position. Mohamud praised Saudi Arabia for being among the first to issue a clear statement rejecting any infringement on Somalia’s unity.
He said the Saudi position reflects the Kingdom’s longstanding commitment to state sovereignty and territorial integrity, reinforced by the Saudi cabinet’s “firm and principled” support for Somalia during what he described as a delicate moment.
The third step focuses on strengthening internal national dialogue to address political issues within the framework of a single Somali state, free from external interference or dictates.
Mohamud warned that if left unchecked, the recognition could set a “dangerous precedent and undermine regional and international peace and security.”
He said it could embolden separatist movements not only in the Horn of Africa but across Africa and the Arab world, citing developments in countries such as Sudan and Yemen as evidence of the high cost of state fragmentation.
“This concerns a vital global shipping artery and core Arab national security,” he said, referring to the Red Sea.
“Any political or security tension along Somalia’s coast will directly affect international trade and energy security.”
He added that instability would impact Red Sea littoral states, particularly Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, and Jordan. “Preserving Somalia’s unity is a cornerstone of collective Red Sea security,” he said.
Mohamud argued that Israel’s objective goes beyond political recognition.
“We believe the goal extends beyond a political gesture,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. “It includes seeking a strategic foothold in the Horn of Africa near the Red Sea, enabling influence over the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait and threatening the national security of Red Sea states.”
He described the move as a test of Somali, Arab, and African resolve on issues of sovereignty and territorial unity, emphasizing that Somalia’s opposition to secession is a principled and enduring national stance supported widely in the Arab and African worlds, “foremost by Saudi Arabia.”
He rejected any attempt to turn Somalia into a battleground for regional or international rivalries. “We will not allow Somalia to become an arena for settling conflicts that do not serve our people’s interests or our region’s security,” he declared.
Regarding Saudi-Somali relations, Mohamud described the partnership as “deep-rooted and strategic, rooted in shared history, religion, and a common destiny.” Saudi Arabia, he said, “remains a central partner in supporting Somalia’s stability, reconstruction, development, and Red Sea security.”
He voiced admiration for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the economic and development gains achieved under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Asked about the recent Saudi Cabinet decision rejecting any attempt to divide Somalia, Mohamud said the federal government received it with “great appreciation and relief.”
He said the position extends the Kingdom’s historic support for Somalia’s territorial unity and sovereignty, reinforces regional stability, and sends an important message to the international community on the need to respect state sovereignty and refrain from interference in internal affairs.
