Albania was once the poorest nation in Europe but has been working hard to transform its economy in the last decade. Regardless of the devastating earthquake in November 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic, Albania made a robust recovery during 2021, though the war in Ukraine may slow the progress this year. Despite having a well-known mob, Albania made notable steps in combating drugs, weapons, and human trafficking. The process of Albania’s accession to the European Union is ongoing. Under Communist rule, no religion was allowed. Now, Islam claims twice as many followers as Christianity. Christian Believers enjoy worshipping openly in a country that once restricted religious freedom, although, most who claim Christianity are reported to be nominal in their faith.

The Kingdom of Morocco stays 27th on the 2022 World Watch List for Christian persecution. The King of Morocco is Mohammed VI. This North African nation borders the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean Sea in the north; it shares maritime borders with Portugal and Spain. Morocco borders Algeria in the east and Western Sahara in the south. The non-self-governing territory, claimed by Morocco, borders Mauritania in the Moroccan-controlled part of Western Sahara. The average pressure on Christians in Morocco remains high. And for converts from Islam, the pressure is even higher. They can lose their inheritance rights or even custody of their children. Converts face opposition from family members, who do not want them to practice their new faith publicly—often, this means new Christians are not allowed to be baptized, married, or buried in a Church or Christian ceremony.