RELATIONS BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA AND THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT

Diplomatic relations between Albania and Egypt were established on April 19, 1956. The relations between the two countries, which are traditionally very good and friendly and without inherited problems, are based on respect for the principles of sovereignty, mutual interest, the expansion of bilateral relations and multilateral. The Egyptian government, the various political forces, power, civil society, but also the Egyptian people, continue to think and declare that Albania is a friendly country and that the Albanian people are a “brother” people, with whom they have close relations of cooperation. The desire to further deepen relations with our country is openly expressed by all levels of Egyptian politics or officials.

Since the opening of the representative office of the Republic of Albania in Cairo, work has been done in the direction of intensifying political relations, strengthening political dialogue, deepening economic cooperation, increasing trade exchanges, increasing Egyptian investments in Albania, as well as completing the legal framework of cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The exchange of high-level visits is considered important for the development of political dialogue, as well as for discussing more broadly the relations and cooperation agenda in the future. The fact that there is an easily visible imbalance in the exchange of official visits between the two countries stands out (since 1991, there have been over 25 visits by high officials of Albania to Egypt, compared to three visits by the Egyptian side, to our country). Albania has been visited only once in the MFA rank, by the former Egyptian Foreign Minister, Amr Moussa in 1995. On September 20, 2021, the two foreign ministers Xhaçka and Shoukry and in September 2023, the two foreign ministers Hasani and Shoukry met in New York, as well as the meeting of Foreign Ministers Hasani and Abdelatty in New York 2024, where they highlighted the importance of intensifying the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries in a bilateral aspect and within the framework of the UNSC, where Albania was a non-permanent member country until the end of 2023.

The visit of Prime Minister Rama in October 2021 was the first official visit of an Albanian prime minister to Egypt in more than two decades, which evidenced its importance for the relations between the two countries. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen relations, at the bilateral level, in all areas with a common and multilateral agenda, with a focus on cooperation within the UNSC. During this visit, PM Rama held meetings with the President, the Speaker of the Parliament and the PM of Egypt.

The visit of PM Rama brought the revitalization of the political agenda and its harmonization with economic cooperation, the signing of three documents for cooperation in the field of culture, the confirmation of mutual interest to cooperate within the UNSC on regional issues related to Africa and the East Middle, in the advancement of common agendas for peace and security, the alignment of views on security issues, regional and international. Both sides paid attention to completing the legal framework between the two countries.

AGREEMENTS AND SIGNED MEMORANDA

Memorandum of understanding for diplomatic consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed on 25.05.1993, entered into force on the date of signing.

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the promotion and protection of investments, signed on 22.05.1993, entered into force on 01.01.1994.

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Arab Republic of Egypt for economic-scientific and technical cooperation, signed on 22.05.1993, entered into force on 01.01.1994.

Memorandum of understanding of the Joint Committee between the Republic of Albania and the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed on 03.11.1993, entered into force on the date of signing.

Agreement for the establishment of a joint commission between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed on 15.12.1994, entered into force on the date of signing.

Protocol for cooperation in the field of justice between the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Albania and the Ministry of Justice of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed and entered into force on 15.12.1994.

Trade agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed on 15.12.1994.

Protocol for scientific and technical cooperation in the framework of the Agreement for scientific and technical cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the years 1995-1997, signed on 15.12.1994, entered into force on the date of signing.

Agreement for air services between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Aegean ptit, signed on 27.08.1995, entered into force on 26.01.1999.

Agreement on cooperation in the field of order between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed on 24.10.1995, entered into force on 26.02.1998.

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt on the waiver of visas for diplomatic, service and special passports, signed on 02.04.2002, entered into force on 07.06.2010.

Cooperation program in the field of technical, cultural and scientific cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, for the years 2002-2004, signed on 02.04.2002, entered into force on the date of signing.

Agreement between the Republic of Albania and the Arab Republic of Egypt on extradition, signed on 2.4.2002, entered into force on 26.7.2004.

Cooperation protocol between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt in the field of the fight against terrorism, signed on 02.04.2002, entered into force on the date of signing.

Agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion on income and capital between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed on 23.02.2005, entered into force on 14.12.2005.

The executive program of cooperation in the field of education, science and culture between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the years 2013-2016, signed on 31.03.2013, entered into force on the date of signing.

Agreement between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, on customs cooperation and mutual assistance, signed on 01.02.2015, entered into force on 24.05.2015.

Memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of diplomatic training between the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed in Tirana, on 07.12.2020.

Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of museums between the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Albania and the High Council of Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed in Egypt on 23.10.2021.

Executive Program on cultural cooperation between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Albania and the Ministry of Culture of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed in Egypt on 23.10.2021.

Cooperation Protocol between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Albania and the General Organization of the Egyptian Book of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed in Egypt on 23.10.2021.

Memorandum of understanding between the National Theater of Opera, Ballet and the People’s Ensemble of the Ministry of Culture of the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed on 19.09.2022.

 

AGREEMENTS AND MEMORANDA IN PROCESS

Draft agreement between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt on maritime transport,

Project memorandum of cooperation in the field of health and pharmaceuticals,

Project agreement in the field of tourism,

Project agreement for technical cooperation,

Economic and commercial cooperation project agreement,

Cooperation draft agreement between the General Directorate of Archives of the Republic of Slovenia and the National Archives of the Arab Republic of Egypt,

Project Memorandum of Understanding between the Academies of Sciences,

Amendment of the Agreement on Civil Aviation,

Project agreement in the field of agriculture and fishing,

Project agreement in the field of radio and television between the news agencies of the two countries,

Draft agreement on readmission of persons with unauthorized stay,

Draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Education and Sports of RSH and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Egypt.