DUBAI, 5th February, 2026 (WAM) -- Majda Adžović, Minister of Public Works of Montenegro, described Montenegro’s partnership with the United Arab Emirates as strong and expressed confidence that it will grow further in the coming period.
In an interview with Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of WGS 2026, Adžović pointed to the agreements already in place between the two countries, including an economic cooperation agreement covering 11 areas of collaboration.
She noted that Montenegro is a Mediterranean country whose development rests on two main pillars: tourism and energy. In the energy sector, she highlighted the country’s substantial renewable resources, including wind, solar and hydropower potential, much of which remains untapped. Adžović referred to the signed agreement between Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar and EPCG to establish a new hydropower plant within Montenegro.
On tourism, she indicated interest in projects inspired by what Montenegro has observed in the UAE, particularly luxury tourist resorts. She stressed that Montenegro’s combination of a Mediterranean coastline and mountainous regions supports year-round tourism, including winter tourism.
Turning to the summit agenda, Adžović linked the discussions to Montenegro’s plans to establish a data centre. She noted that, by its characteristics, the location under consideration is one out of three in Europe with such strong energy potential.
She also underlined Montenegro’s connectivity to the undersea electricity cable with Italy, describing it as the only country in the Balkans with such a connection, which enables electricity exports. She added that Montenegro has the cheapest electricity in Europe, and on that basis sees potential for the country to become a hub for data centres amid rising demand for data storage associated with the expanding use of artificial intelligence.
Adžović also highlighted air connectivity as a practical priority for expanding tourism cooperation, noting ongoing work on direct flights between Dubai and Podgorica, as well as Abu Dhabi and Podgorica, to facilitate travel and support tourism-related projects. Beyond these areas, she noted that cooperation is also being explored in transportation, both by road and by sea.
Adžović said public-private partnerships remain challenging in Montenegro due to legislative requirements linked to EU integration, but efforts are underway to address them. She explained that, as a former communist and socialist country, Montenegro still has many state-owned companies, and that stronger public-private cooperation is needed to move major projects forward faster, drawing on private-sector experience without sacrificing quality.
On transparency, she said citizens increasingly want to know what is happening in their communities, noting that the Ministry of Public Works affects every citizen through responsibilities ranging from water supply and electricity to kindergartens and hospitals. She added that the ministry is working on a smart map of Montenegro to provide continuous updates on capital projects and show how public funds are being spent.