Albania and Regional Initiatives

ALBANIA AND REGIONAL INITIATIVES

Based on its foreign policy priorities, Albania pays special attention to regional cooperation in its entirety. Albania considers regional cooperation and good neighborly relations as important pillars that guarantee peace, security and stability in the region and as prerequisites for European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes in the region.

Albania is an active participant in the regional cooperation process and in all regional initiatives such as PBEJL (SEECP) – South East European Cooperation Process; KBR (RCC) – Regional Cooperation Council; NEQ (CEI) – Central European Initiative; NAJ (AII) – Ionian Adriatic Initiative; BEDZ (BSEC) – Black Sea Economic Cooperation; NRMAR (MARRI) – Regional Initiative for Migration, Asylum and Refugees; etc.

The scope of this cooperation aims at increasing and intensifying cooperation between the countries of the region, including political dialogue, expanding the exchange of goods and services, creating a regional network of energy, transport and telecommunications, facilitating the circulation of people, cultures, etc., strengthening educational, scientific and cultural ties, the joint fight against organized crime, illegal traffic, terrorism, etc.

Albania has played and continues to play a moderate and constructive role in all regional initiatives, placing a special emphasis on the principle of inclusiveness. Based on this fundamental principle of active participation and contribution of all the countries of the region in the process of regional cooperation, the Republic of Albania has supported and will support the inclusion and participation of Kosovo in all multilateral regional activities.

In this context, the February 2013 decision of the RCC Board to approve the list of members of the organization, which, in contrast to the previous list, places the representation of Kosovo in the RCC (Regional Cooperation Council), no longer under the logo of UNMIK, but that of Kosovo (with an asterix), presenting it as a member with full rights in this regional organization, is considered an important achievement.

Completely engaged in the process of regional cooperation, Albania received in June 2013 the next one-year chairmanship of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, which coincides with a very important moment, with the finalization of the process of discussion and approval in 2014 of the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Macro Region.

Albania has recently become a member of the SEECP Troika and is expected to take the next SEECP presidency in the period June 2014 – June 2015.

Approaching European standards through the process of European integration has proven to have a positive impact on relations between the countries of the region, thus influencing the creation of a better climate and stability in the region.

Albania has intended to be active in all regional cooperation and to contribute with its principled, constructive and balanced positions in dealing with sensitive issues in the region. Albania has received positive evaluations in the EU Progress Reports of recent years regarding its engagement in the regional cooperation process.

 

Albania’s leadership in regional initiatives

Albania’s active participation in the process of regional cooperation finds its expression also through the successive presidencies in regional initiatives and mechanisms exercised by Albania. Concretely, Albania held the next SEECP presidency in 2001; the next chairmanship of NEQ/NAJ in May 2005 – May 2006; successive chairmanship of BSEC in 2002 and 2008; the next presidency of MARRI for the period April 2010 – April 2011; chaired PABSEC / Black Sea Parliamentary Assembly in 2011; chaired the BSTDB/Black Sea Bank for Trade and Development in 2011; chaired ReSPA, or the Regional School for Public Administration, in September 2010-September 2011; is exercising the next chairmanship of NAJ [for the period June 2013-June 2014, etc.