The transition from communism to a democratic Albania in the 1990s has been associated with a number of important political, economic, and social developments. Legislation and the institutions that enforce it underwent significant changes to adapt to the new political and economic environment.  Unfortunately, this transition also correlated with an increase in conflict, and property-related disputes in particular. A need for alternative approaches to conflict resolution emerged, and professionals from across the legal, social and cultural sectors, with the support of the Danish government, came together to establish the Albanian Foundation for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (AFCR) in 1995.

In its early stages, AFCR promoted the use of community mediation and has since implemented several programs supporting mediation in civil, commercial, family, and criminal cases. Since the establishment of AFCR, various legal frameworks have been put in place to institutionalize the use of mediation as a service.