The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, signed today in Tirana the Memorandum of Understanding Against the Manipulation of Foreign State Information (disinformation) as well as the Memorandum of Understanding for the Fulbright Academic Exchange Program.

Minister Hasani emphasized that with the signing of these agreements, academic cooperation and cultural exchange will be intensified, as well as efforts to address the growing threats from foreign actors in the digital field.

The first memorandum provides a cooperation framework to monitor and control foreign state information to combat its manipulation by foreign actors in order to protect the common values ​​of democracy at the international level.

Through this MOU, Albania and the USA express their willingness to work together with like-minded nations to combat manipulated information. This cooperation will include the development of national policies, increased awareness and sensitization of such threats, support to civil society and multilateral engagement.

The Memorandum of Understanding/The Fulbright Academic Exchange Program aims to annually propose students, academic staff and professionals from institutions of higher education and other institutions of the Republic of Albania to study in US universities and is coordinated by the American representative , the participation of students, academic staff and professionals of the United States in study, research or academic training in academic institutions or other institutions of the Republic of Albania.

Through this memorandum of understanding, the Government of the Republic of Albania (Council of Ministers), through the Ministry of Education and Sports, will financially support the “Fulbright Student” academic exchange program to create additional opportunities for students, in order to become part of this program.