Rama urges ambassadors to focus on EU accession and economic diplomacy

Albania’s annual Conference of Ambassadors opened on Monday and will run until Wednesday, bringing together the country’s top diplomats from around the world.

Why is this important: As a candidate for European Union membership, Albania has made accession its top foreign policy priority. Prime Minister Edi Rama, in his address to the ambassadors, said that joining the EU within this decade must be the central focus of the diplomatic service. “These four years, which coincide with this agenda, are four years in which not a single day must be lost and where time does not wait to prepare all the ground for the support of the decision that will be taken by the European Council for Albania’s membership in the EU,” he said.

Context: Rama noted that despite his government’s 12 years in power, economic diplomacy remains the weakest link of Albania’s foreign service. While the country’s international credentials are stronger than when the Socialists came to office in 2013, he said embassies contribute little to economic promotion.

“The weakest link of our work and diplomatic service is economic diplomacy. The role of our representations is weak; with the exception of very specific cases tied to the will of an ambassador, the contribution is almost non-existent. A dedicated conference has been held for the engagement of our diplomatic representations, but the results leave much to be desired, while this aspect must be a priority,” the Prime Minister said.

Rama also called for the creation of an accurate register of Albanians in the diaspora who stand out in different professions, describing them as an extraordinary human capital for the country. He stressed that the current lack of such data is unacceptable.

As part of reforms to the diplomatic service, parliament is expected to soon pass changes to the law on the foreign service, including increased financial support for embassies worldwide.

What else: Albania is expected to open its final negotiation cluster next week, with the government aiming to close all six clusters by the end of 2027.

Next steps: The conference will continue through Wednesday, with sessions focused on EU integration, economic diplomacy, and reforms in the foreign service. The government has presented the initiative as a key step in preparing Albania’s institutions for membership within the decade.