Thank you, Mr. Chair,

Albania congratulates Finland on assuming the OSCE Chairpersonship in 2025 and warmly welcomes the Chairperson-in-Office, Her Excellency Elina Valtonen. We appreciate the broad and extensive consultations that Finland has undertaken, both in Vienna and in capitals, in preparation for its Chairpersonship.

Albania was pleased to welcome Minister Valtonen on her official visit to Tirana last September. Likewise, we value Ambassador Vesa Häkkinen’s visit to Albania last year as part of a tour countries hosting OSCE field operations. These first-hand encounters will be beneficial in shaping Finland’s approach.

Mr Chair,

We welcome Finland’s broad, yet focused, priorities, addressing the most pressing matters of the OSCE at hand across the three dimensions, while bracing for the future.

Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine remains the gravest threat to European security, violating our principles and commitments. We welcome Finland’s commitment to keeping Ukraine at the top of the OSCE agenda. Albania’s steadfast support for Ukraine was reaffirmed by the visit of Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania Igli Hasani to Kyiv last week.

In the meantime, other conflicts and crises continue to cause suffering and hardship and take a heavy toll on human rights and fundamental freedoms too, particularly on women and children. We welcome Finland’s aim to work across the OSCE region towards the settlement of conflicts, ease tensions, and build trust.

Transnational threats such as terrorism and violent extremism, organized crime, cybercrime, corruption and climate change continue to erode livelihoods, security and public trust in our institutions. We share Finland’s commitment to building resilience by addressing these malign activities including through tackling disinformation, cyber security, and climate security.

With regard to the human dimension, we welcome Finland’s emphasis on media freedom and literacy. For Albania, full respect for human rights and promoting tolerance and non-discrimination, media freedom, safety of journalists, strong civil societies, and combatting violence against women and human trafficking are of paramount importance.

As a promoter of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and of gender equality and women’s empowerment, both at home and internationally, Albania commends Finland’s aim to continue to promote the agenda of gender equality and inclusion. We appreciate also the support to strengthening the engagement with civil society, particularly youth and persons with disabilities.

Mr. Chair,

Albania remains firmly committed to a stable, peaceful and prosperous Western Balkans. The string of recent attempts to destabilize the Republic of Kosova, however, gravely undermine security and the lives of Kosova’s citizens and risk stirring up conflict. They put at risk also the process of normalizing relations in our region, where all states are engaged on the European Union integration path. As two sovereign countries aspiring EU membership, the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Kosova and Serbia remains the way to move ahead and resolve outstanding issues.

Mr. Chair,

The OSCE executive structures remain a steadfast contributor to our comprehensive security, demonstrating their value on the ground. It is imperative that we provide them with the resources and support needed to fulfil their mandates, by approving the unified budget without further delay.

Our Organization has a unique role to play in promoting peace and security in these times of regional and global turbulence. We support Finland’s firm support for the executive structures and its emphasis on resilience, as well as on creating a longer-term vision and exploring innovative solutions to sustain the OSCE’s operations.

As a former OSCE Chair, Albania deeply values the Organization. We very much hope that on the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, the OSCE will turn an important corner toward greater security, stability, effectiveness, and importantly, the restoration of our principles and commitments. We must make every effort to that end and we welcome the fact that Finland has placed the latter at the top of its guiding principles.

In closing, we extend our gratitude and appreciation to Malta for its capable and tireless leadership throughout a challenging 2024.

You can rest assured of Albania’s firm support to Finland this year during its Chairpersonship.

Thank you!