By Turki bin Ibrahim Al-Madi
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Albania
National Day is an occasion to recall the historic journey of the unification of the Kingdom by its founder, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud — may God have mercy on him — and the foundations he laid for the unity, security and stability of the country and for the establishment of state institutions.
This year, we celebrate National Day under the theme: “Our Pride Is in Our Nature.”
At the same time, we proudly reflect on our country’s continuing achievements on the path of development and progress under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister — may God protect them.
Today, within the framework of Vision 2030, the Kingdom is undergoing a comprehensive transformation aimed at diversifying the economy, investing in human capital, expanding the horizons of knowledge and innovation, developing the economic, social and cultural sectors, and improving quality of life, while at the same time preserving the Kingdom’s identity, values, cultural heritage and civilizational legacy.
Among the most notable indicators of Vision 2030’s achievements is the unemployment rate among Saudi citizens, which has fallen to 6.4%, reaching and surpassing the Vision’s final target of 7%, compared with 12.3% in 2016. Women’s participation in the labour market has risen to approximately 33.9%, exceeding the initial target of 30%, which led to the Vision’s target being raised to 40%.
The number of regional headquarters of international companies in Saudi Arabia has increased to more than 700, while the number of international investors has exceeded 6,000. The Saudi economy has continued to record strong growth, with Gross Domestic Product surpassing 4.9 trillion Saudi riyals, supported by the accelerated expansion of non-oil economic activities.
At the international level, the Kingdom has further strengthened its position, ranking 17th globally and fourth among G20 countries, according to the World Competitiveness Ranking published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
The Kingdom’s development journey has always been closely linked to the importance it attaches to security and stability. These principles also underpin the Kingdom’s vision for its regional and international relations.
The Kingdom continues to pursue a foreign policy based on dialogue and cooperation, the promotion of security and stability, the reduction of tensions in conflict zones, respect for the sovereignty and independence of states, adherence to the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and the encouragement of peaceful and diplomatic solutions to disputes and conflicts.
In this context, I would like to highlight the Kingdom’s efforts to establish peace, security and stability in Yemen. The Kingdom has always placed peace at the top of its priorities and, together with brotherly and friendly countries and in cooperation with the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, has undertaken numerous efforts and presented a number of initiatives in support of the peace process in Yemen.
In this regard, I would also like to refer to the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning Yemen, including Resolution 2216, as well as Resolution 2722 concerning attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and respect for the rights and freedoms of navigation.
The international community should not view the actions of the Houthi militia merely as another episode of military escalation. The Houthis’ movements and escalation within Yemen seek to establish control over the western coasts and threaten commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The consequences of these actions extend beyond Yemen’s borders, threatening maritime security, international trade and regional stability, while creating the possibility that such means may be used for blackmail and threats against the international community.
The Kingdom also believes that the challenges facing the world today make dialogue and collective international action more necessary than ever, and that achieving sustainable development and prosperity requires an environment in which peace, stability and mutual respect among states prevail.
Within this framework, the Palestinian issue remains at the forefront of the Kingdom’s priorities. The Kingdom continues to support the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent state, while working toward a just, lasting and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.
In cooperation with its partners in the international community, the Kingdom also continues its efforts to mobilise support for this process and to create a serious political horizon leading toward sustainable peace in the region. In this context, the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution was launched in 2024, with the aim of taking concrete steps toward fulfilling commitments, establishing the Palestinian state, and building a credible and irreversible process toward a just and comprehensive peace.
Alongside its political and diplomatic role, the Kingdom continues to fulfil its humanitarian responsibility toward peoples and communities affected by crises and disasters, guided by the values of human solidarity that have for decades formed the foundation of its humanitarian and development efforts.
In this context, in 2025 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first among Arab countries among donor states in the provision of humanitarian and emergency assistance, according to data from the United Nations Financial Tracking Service.
Throughout its history, the Kingdom’s assistance has reached 175 countries around the world, with its total value exceeding USD 145 billion. Through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, as well as its various development institutions, the Kingdom continues to provide assistance to those affected and to people in need around the world, while also contributing to development and to improving the living conditions of beneficiary communities.
As we celebrate this important national occasion here in Tirana, we express our pride in the bonds of friendship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Albania, founded on mutual respect and a shared determination to further develop cooperation in the service of the interests of our two countries and our friendly peoples.
This cooperation is given practical expression through intergovernmental coordination between the two countries within the Saudi-Albanian Joint Committee, as well as through cooperation between the private sectors within the Saudi-Albanian Business Council.
In the recent period, relations between the two countries have maintained a steady momentum, reflected in high-level visits and meetings. During this year, His Excellency President Bajram Begaj visited the Kingdom and met with His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, while attending the reception hosted by His Royal Highness for heads of state and government and senior dignitaries who had performed the Hajj pilgrimage.
Likewise, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Mr Edi Rama, visited the Kingdom, where he participated in the ninth edition of the Future Investment Initiative Forum and met with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
We also highly value development cooperation between the two countries and the role played by the Saudi Fund for Development in supporting a number of infrastructure projects in Albania.
Increasing attention in our bilateral relations is also being devoted to cultural and educational cooperation, which contributes to strengthening ties and deepening mutual understanding between our two peoples. This cooperation includes translation and literature, the translation of literary works from Arabic into Albanian and vice versa, as well as the expansion of opportunities for learning the Arabic language.
In this context, work is underway to establish in Albania an Institute for the Teaching of the Arabic Language,affiliated with Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. The institute will create broader opportunities for learning Arabic and will serve all those wishing to study the language in Albania and in the countries of the Balkan region, while at the same time strengthening bridges of academic and cultural cooperation between the Kingdom and the countries of the region.
We aim to build further on the achievements made so far and to make use of existing opportunities to expand cooperation in the fields of the economy, investment, development, tourism, culture and education, as well as to strengthen ties between private-sector institutions and between the peoples of our two countries.
The friendship and mutual respect that unite the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Albania provide a solid foundation for continuing our joint work and exploring new areas of cooperation in the service of the common interests of both countries.
I wish my country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Republic of Albania continued progress and prosperity, and I wish for the relations between our two countries to continue developing and growing ever stronger.
Note: This is the speech delivered by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Albania, Turki bin Ibrahim Al-Madi, on the occasion of the National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tirana, 22 September 2026.
