Bilateral relations between Albania and Denmark
Diplomatic relations between Albania and Denmark were established on 29 May 1970.
During the 70s and 80s the relations between our two countries were very limited. Danish interest towards Albania increased with the political pluralism in our country.
On 5 February 1993, an Albanian delegation headed by deputy FM visited Denmark.
From 27 to 28 March, 1994, a delegation from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Foreign Minister Niels Petersen visited Albania for the first time.
In April 1994 the Albanian Minister of Transport visited Denmark . During the visit the Agreement on the International Transport of goods and passengers was signed.
From June 29 to July 1, 1994, the Minister of Labour of Denmark, Jytte Andersen visited Tirana. She was received by the highest levels and among others, a cooperation agreement between the two Ministries of Labour was signed.
7- 8 July 1994, the Danish Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Helle Dagne visited Albania. During the visit the counterparts discussed the Danish assistance to Albania. The same year, the Danish Parliament approved an aid to Albania of 45 million DKK (7.5 million USD) for a period of three years. This assistance mainly included support to NGOs in the areas journalism, health, education, justice, local government, trade unions, etc.
On 28 December 1994, the Danish Honorary Consulate in Tirana was opened and Mr. Tanush Frashëri was appointed as the Honorary Consul.
On September 4 to 6 1995, Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alfred Serreqi paid an official visit to Denmark. During the visit the Agreement on Mutual Promotion and Protection of Investments between the two countries was signed.
On April 29, 1997 the Danish Ambassador, Henrik Ree Iversen, resident in Rome, presented the Credentials to the President of the Republic of Albania, as non-resident Ambassador.
From April 16 to 17, 1998 the Danish Foreign Minister, Niels Helveg Petersen visited Tirana, in the quality of the representative of the OSCE Troika.
From November 30 to December 1, 1998, The Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo, paid an official visit to Denmark. During this visit the counterparts agreed to continue the high level political dialogue and a new Danish aid of 100 million DKK (about 16 million USD) was offered to Albania for the period 1999-2001, aiming to increase it with 50% for the next two years.
From June 13 to 15, 1999, The Albanian Prime Minister Pandeli Majko paid an official visit to Denmark.
From June 26 to September 27, 2000, political consultations between delegations from the Foreign Ministries of Albania and Denmark were held in Tirana.
On February 1, 2001 the Albanian Prime Minister Meta paid an official visit to Denmark.
On June 6, 2001, The Danish Foreign Minister, Mogens Lykketoft paid an official visit in Tirana.
On September 26, 2001, political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of both countries were held in Copenhagen.
In June 2004, a meeting between high level delegations from the Defense Ministries of both countries was held in Copenhagen.
In June 2004, the Deputy Minister of Health, Eduard Hashorva met in Copenhagen, with relevant Danish authorities, regarding cooperation on several projects between the two countries.
In August 2004, the Albanian Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Blendi Klosi visited Copenhagen, to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange experiences with the Nordic Council of Ministers.
In August 2004, the Minister of Local Government and Decentralization, Ben Blushi paid a visit in Copenhagen to exchange experiences regarding the structural reform of local government.
From 6 to 7 June, 2006, the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Per Stig Moller paid an official visit to Albania.
In April 2007, the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Jozefina Topalli visited Denmark.
In October 2007, the Albanian Foreign Minister, Lulzim Basha visited Denmark.
From 30 to 31 March 2009, the President of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Bamir Topi, paid a visit in Denmark. He was accompanied by a group of businessmen and also met the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rassmussen.
In April 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Tirana, organized a working session on “Economic diplomacy Danish Model”. Participants included the Danish Under Secretary for Investments and Trade, Albanian Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy, diplomats from the Albanian MFA, representatives of the Office of the Prime Minister, the ALBINVEST, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, etc.
On May 28, 2010, the Albanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ilir Meta paid an official visit to Denmark.
On May 8, 2012, the Albanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Edmond Haxhinasto paid an official visit to Denmark.
December 2013, the Albanian Minister of Agriculture and Food, Edmond Panariti, visited Copenhagen and signed an aid agreement of 80 milion DKK for developing the Albanian agriculture in remote regions.
On March 31 to April 2, 2014, the Albanian Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Ilir Meta paid an official visit to Denmark.
On May 25 to 26, 2014, the Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ditmir Bushati paid a visit to Denmark.
September 2014, the Albanian Minister of Health Ilir Beqja participitaed to the 64th Sesion of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen.
On 30 March 2015, the Danish Ombudsman, Mr. Jørgen Steen Sørensen, paid a working visit to Albania. He confirmed the on-going support to the Albanian Ombudsman.
On January 31, 2018, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ditmir Bushati, visited the Kingdom of Denmark, where he met and spoke extensively with his Danish counterpart, Anders Samuelsen.
On 8-9 April 2019, the President of the Republic, Mr. Ilir Meta, conducted a working visit to Denmark to attend the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly at the invitation of PACE/OSCE.
On 8 July 2020, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gent Cakaj paid an official visit to Denmark.
On December 17th, 2020, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Mr. Gent Cakaj met in Denmark with the Secretary General of PACE/OSCE, Roberto Montella, to raise awareness on the rights of Albanians in the Presevo Valley.
On 1-2 September 2021, the Danish Foreign Minister, Mr. Jeppe Kofod, paid an official visit to Tirana.
On 23 March 2022, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Frida Krifca paid a working visit to Copenhagen and met with Danish counterpart Rasmus Prehn to explore the potential of cooperation in this area and increase agricultural and agro-industrial exports.
On October 4, 2022, Deputy Minister Ilir Bejtaj visited Copenhagen and held talks with representatives of the Danish Confederation of Industry, to discuss concrete cooperation opportunities in the energy sector.
On March 6, 2023, The Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, paid an official visit to Tirana, the first visit of a Danish Prime Minister in Albania. The talks between the two prime ministers covered a wide range of issues and projects to further strengthen Albanian-Danish relations and Albania’s European path, as well as an ever closer partnership with the Western Balkans in the new geopolitical context. The visit also highlighted Albania’s strong commitment to common European values.
Economic cooperation
The Danish government has made a positive contribution to Albania in strengthening the governing capacities of the central administration, the administration of the judicial power, in increasing the involvement of civil society in local affairs with the aim of building a democratic Albanian society. The areas of Danish intervention have been in terms of strengthening the capacities of justice, prosecution, police, local government, NPOs, etc.
Since 1999, the Danish contribution to Albania through danida program projects has been USD 16 million with a significant impact. The characteristic is that the implementation of projects funded by the Danish government has been done with transparency and professionalism, which has led to the improvement of the functions of the administration and to the building of its capacities. The Danish government has also helped Albania through the FRESTA Program, as well as in the framework of co-finance with other multilateral donors, where Denmark is an important member such as the World Bank and various United Nations agencies operating in Albania.
The Government of the Kingdom of Denmark has given its support since the establishment of the Ombudsperson institution in Albania, through a financial grant awarded under the agreement of our two governments, signed in Copenhagen in July 1999.The cooperation with the Danish Ombudsman’s Office in 1999-2003, through danida program of the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark has given its very positive impact on all aspects of the functioning of the Ombudsman’s Office. This support has been concrete, present and very efficient for the establishment and empowerment of the Ombudsperson institution, which was confirmed during the visit of the Danish Ombudsman to Albania, Mr. Jørgen Steen Sørensen, on 30 March 2015
During the visit to Denmark, minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration, Mr. Edmond Panariti, on 13 December 2013, was signed an agreement between the two governments, for granting a grant from the Danish government, in the amount of 80 million Danish Kronor (DKK),co-funded grant with the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany, through the development of cooperation for joint German-Danish support, rural development and agriculture in disadvantaged areas of Albania (2014-2018). This program will support the Albanian government in extending assistance to poor farmers, in agricultural production activity and agro-business aiming at reducing poverty, increasing employment, improvement of the living conditions of farmers in the unfavourable rural areas of Albania, in accordance with the albanian government’s program, of the cross-sectoral strategy for rural development and agriculture.
Legal framework of bilateral cooperation
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark for the international transport of goods and passengers, signed on 25.01.1994.
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark on mutual promotion and protection of investments.1995 entered into force on 18.1.1996.
The Protocol between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark, signed on 19.02.1999, entered into force on the date of the signing.
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of Denmark on assistance in the transition period, signed on 02.06.1999, entered into force on 30.11.2000.
Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation on Climate Change between the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water Management of the Republic of Albania and the Ministry of Environment of the Kingdom of Denmark on cooperation for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, signed in 2006, entered into force on the date of signature.
Agreement between the Republic of Albania and the Kingdom of Denmark on facilitating the issuance of visas, signed on 24.04.2008, entered into force on 1.12.2008.
Agreement between the Republic of Albania and the Kingdom of Denmark on the readmission of persons with unauthorized residence, signed on 24.04. 2008, entered into force on December 1, 2008.
Agreement between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark on Development Cooperation, signed on 1.9.2010, entered into force on 1.6.2011.
