Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office in Albania announced plans to begin a new $8.8 million, five year project to improve court performance in Albania. Currently, the Government of Albania and Parliament are engaged in legislative reforms for the justice sector to improve judicial independence and accountability. While the government and the parliament engage in legislative reforms, there is a lot the judiciary itself can do to improve its performance. “USAID’s Improved Court Performance Project in Albania” will work with judicial leaders to make their individual courts more efficient and accountable and with civil society and investigative journalists to highlight citizen’s demands for greater transparency and fairness in the justice sector.

From 2000 to 2015, USAID invested $60 million in Albania's justice sector. These efforts have helped to modernize Albania’s court and legal education systems, strengthen civil society’s watchdog role, and reduce opportunities for corruption.