On December 18, 2020 at the premises of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, a restricted activity took place in the framework of the 100th anniversary of Albania’s membership in the League of Nations and the 65th anniversary of membership in the United Nations. These two important anniversaries in the history of Albania and Albanian diplomacy are celebrated on the eve of Albania’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, for the period 2022-2023.

Under the auspices of the Secretary General of the MEFA, Mr. Armand Skapi and under restricted list of participants, due to the pandemic, the activity gathered the UN Resident Coordinator in Albania, Mrs. Fiona McCluney, the youth delegate from UNAA who participated in the proceedings of the GA 75 session as well as a limited number of participants from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

In his welcoming speech, the Secretary General, Mr. Armand Skapi said that Albania joined the League of Nations from the year of its establishment and became part of the UN in 1955. Albania considered the major world initiatives of the League of Nations and then the United Nations, as platform and important international instruments that would ensure Albania’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and protection of national rights, stated Mr. Skapi. Subsequently, the Secretary General of the MEFA underlined the role that Albania currently plays in the context of multilateralism. Precisely, strongly believing in this important global instrument, Albania has become part of many international initiatives, contributing to the preservation and strengthening of peace, world security and promoting development. This year, Albania successfully finalized the OSCE chairmanship, said Mr. Skapi, while next year expects to be elected for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2022-2023.

In her speech, the UN Representative in Albania, Mrs. Fiona McCluney emphasized the Albanian engagement in the UN, underlining that the overall performance of our country within the system of this organization has evolved significantly. Mrs. McCluney mentioned some of the main achievements of our country respectively: service in several UN Councils and Committees (such as the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the Human Rights Council, the Committee on the Status of Women) and the governing bodies of several specialized programs and agencies (such as UNESO, UNICEF, UNDP / UNFPA / UNOPS, UNEP, WHO, UN Habitat) as well as the work of our country in implementing the Sustainable Development Objectives. Albania has made admirable progress in the field of human rights and democratic society, in strengthening security, in the field of regional cooperation, in preserving and promoting the traditions of cultural and religious tolerance in the country, etc, added Mrs. Mc Cluney.

Representative McCluney stated that she fully supports our country’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, for the period 2022-2023. Although small, the country represents a strong voice for democracy, equality, peace and international development, she underlined.

The meeting was also greeted by the Director of the Archive at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Associate Professor, Mrs. Pranvera Dibra and the youth delegate in the GA 75^th session, Fiona Dimollari.

The historical-diplomatic book of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Albania’s multilateral diplomacy, a history in progress, 1920-2020”, was presented at this activity.

The event was followed by a video material and a historical documentary exhibition highlighting important moments of Albania’s membership in the League of Nations and the UN, prepared by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.