Ambassadors gather for annual conference

TIRANA, Aug. 30 – The two-day Conference of Ambassadors organized by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ilir Meta was attended by heads of Albania’s diplomatic representations abroad and by the Foreign Ministry officials.
A detailed analysis was made of the achievements during this year and the challenges which the foreign service faces.
The conference served for a structured dialogue among our diplomatic representatives and major leaders of the Albanian state.
The major issues addressed during the conference were the state of play in the region, with a particular focus on the need for further engagement by the Albanian state for an increased recognition of the independent state of Kosovo. Also discussed was the activity of the Albanian delegation related to the proceedings of the UN General Assembly set to start in September. And the country’s European integration and the foreign service tasks in view of speeding up this process were also in focus. The emphasis was laid on the Foreign Ministry’s role in briefing European partners on the results of domestic reforms. The stage reached on the visa liberalization process and the expectation of receiving the EU candidate status prior to the end of the current year were also discussed.
Albania’s dynamics in the international arena and notably its strategic role as a contributor to peace and security in its capacity as a NATO member were also discussed.
Discussions covered the country’s bilateral relations with the major international partners and Albania’s activity in the framework of international organizations.
A special session was devoted to the economic activity of our diplomatic representations. There were underlined the achieved results and the need to step up the cooperation among the foreign service structures and the relevant economic institutions and agencies.
Particular attention was attached, especially in the second day of its proceedings to the need for the further and concrete reform in the foreign service, both at the headquarters and in the representations, aimed at strengthening professionalism and upgrading its efficiency to the benefit of national interest, as it was also emphasized in the first day of the Conference by the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.