Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, who is in the United States of America attending the working sessions of the 72nd UN General Assembly (UNGA 72), held today a meeting with representatives of the Albanian Diaspora in New York.

In this meeting attended also the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo, Behgjet Pacolli, Minister Bushati expressed his appreciation to our conationals in the United States, not only for their contribution to the homeland but also for the high level of integration in the American society, while reaffirming his full commitment to deepen cooperation with the Diaspora as well as improve the quality of services to them.

Minister Bushati noted the initiatives of the Albanian Government to establishing a new and more structured relations with the Albanians abroad, to their positive engagement to the country's developments, as well as he outlined  the commitments of the Ministry he heads.

It is worth mentioning the successful organization of the First Diaspora Summit in Tirana on 18-20 November 2016, where a large number of Albanians from the US actively participated in the Summit works, as well as the successful launch of online consular services, which offer faster, inexpensive and transparent services for all Albanians.

Furthermore, Minister Bushati expressed his commitment for registering all Albanians living abroad and giving them the opportunity to vote from anywhere they live at the upcoming 2021 parliamentary elections.

In this context, he highlighted the establishment of the State Ministry for Diaspora in the new Government, which will bear the heavy burden of responsibility for revitalizing relations with the Diaspora and its active engagement in the country's economic and social developments.