April 9, 2025
Today I hosted in a friendly meeting the French Minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad – who has started a two-day agenda in Albania – rich in content and fruitful for the relations between our two countries.
His visit is a reflection of the special, healthy and multidimensional relations built between Albania and friendly France.
This visit is also a continuation of my visit to Paris, just three weeks ago, where I had the opportunity to meet with Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, preceding, among other things, the bilateral visit of President Macron to Albania that will take place in May.
During the conversation we had, we underlined the joint commitment to Albania’s European integration, the intensification of economic cooperation and the preservation of regional stability. Without a doubt, an important part of the conversation was also the upcoming Summit in Tirana of the European Political Community.
In the context of Albania’s European journey, I cannot fail to appreciate France’s serious engagement in the EU institutions, which has been key to ensuring a fair and transparent process of accession negotiations. France’s unwavering support for our European path is invaluable and we are sincerely grateful for this support, which strengthens our shared vision for a united and prosperous Europe.
Without the slightest doubt, we very much hope to continue to have this support, especially for the holding of the Fourth Intergovernmental Conference between the EU and Albania, which we hope will take place in the coming days, as well as for the opening of the remaining chapters within 2025 until our crystal-clear objective is achieved: the conclusion of the negotiations by the end of 2027.
With Minister Haddad, we also discussed a major event that will take place in Albania: the Summit of the European Political Community. This is a historic summit, which will be organized in Tirana on 16 May 2025. Albania has the privilege and honor to host this important event, which aims to promote cooperation and dialogue between European states on common challenges, including security and stability. France’s key role in the establishment of the European Political Community is extraordinary, and we will do our utmost to advance its objectives during the Tirana summit.
Another important topic discussed was the Intergovernmental Agreement (G2G), signed during Prime Minister Rama’s visit to Paris in April 2024. This agreement has served as a catalyst for deepening our economic ties and has brought to fruition important projects in various fields such as digital innovation, infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism. Likewise, French investments, particularly in the energy sector, are bringing about major transformations in Albania’s energy landscape and are setting new standards for future initiatives. We also emphasized that France’s active engagement in the Western Balkans is essential for the stability and development of the region.
We highly value France’s role in promoting a stable and secure Europe. In conclusion, I share the conviction that the enduring partnership between Albania and France will continue to strengthen, based on our shared values and objectives. We remain fully committed to advancing cooperation in all sectors, ensuring that this partnership will contribute to our broader goals of European integration and regional stability.
Dear Benjamin, thank you and I wish you a successful visit to Albania.
