Arben Ahmetaj (born 28 June 1969 in

Gjirokastër Gjirokastër (, sq-definite, Gjirokastra) is a city in the Republic of Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino, at 300 metres above sea le ...

) is an Albanian politician who served as the

Deputy Prime Minister of Albania The Deputy Prime Minister of Albania ( sq, Zëvendëskryeministri i Shqipërise), officially styled the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania ( sq, Zëvendëskryeministri i Republikës së Shqipërisë), is the deputy head of governme ...

from 2021 to 2022. Since 2013 previously has served in several important departments such as: Minister of Economic Development,

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

, as well as Minister of State for Reconstruction after the devastating

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...

in 2019 that occurred in the central area of the country.

Life and Political career

Arben Ahmetaj was born in Gjirokastra on June 28, 1969. He completed his studies in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, specializing in American and

English Literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...

, at the

University of Tirana The University of Tirana ( sq, Universiteti i Tiranës, abbreviated UT) is a public university located at the central borough of Tirana 10 in Tirana, Albania. It was established as the ''State University of Tirana'' in 1957 through merging of f ...

. He completed his master studies at the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a public land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, the university is one of the state ...

from 1995 to 1997 in International Trade and Diplomacy, as well as his doctorate at the

University of Bucharest The University of Bucharest ( ro, Universitatea din București), commonly known after its abbreviation UB in Romania, is a public university founded in its current form on by a decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza to convert the former Princel ...

with the topic "Energy Security, International Security". He successfully completed a scholarship to

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

, Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service, Washington D.C, and has been a participant in the Khokalis program at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

. Arben Ahmetaj has worked as an external lecturer at the

. In the years 1998–1999, he held the position of Chairman of the General Directorate of Taxation. In 2003-2004 he served as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Energy and Industry, while in 2004-2005 as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of European Integration.

Notes

References

1969 births Living people Politicians from Tirana Deputy Prime Ministers of Albania Economy ministers of Albania Finance ministers of Albania Tourism ministers of Albania Trade ministers of Albania 21st-century Albanian politicians Socialist Party of Albania politicians University of Kentucky alumni Walsh School of Foreign Service alumni {{Albania-politician-stub