From Ukrainian Foreign Ministry
BILATERAL COOPERATION BETWEEN UKRAINE AND THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA
Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Republic of Albania were established on January 13, 1993.
On June 16, 2015, the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Albania was opened in Kharkiv. Honorary consul – Shachin Omarov.
On June 20, 2018, the Agreement on the functions and duties of the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in the city of Tirana was concluded with the citizen of the Republic of Albania Bledi Bajraktari.
On July 2, 2020, the newly appointed Chargé d’affaires of the Republic of Albania in Ukraine Fation Peni handed over a diplomatic note from the Albanian side on the opening of a diplomatic mission of Albania in Ukraine. From September 2021 to October 2022 – the Head of the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Albania in Ukraine – Adhurim Resuli.
On January 13, 2023, during the telephone conversation between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama, the Albanian interlocutor informed that the opening of the Embassy of Albania in Kyiv is planned this year.
On September 1, 2020, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Albania Volodymyr Shkurov presented credentials to the President of the Republic of Albania Ilir Meta.
POLITICAL DIALOGUE
Contacts at the level of presidents: none
On September 11, 2020, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama.
On March 5, 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama.
On May 3, 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Parliament of the Republic of Albania.
June 15, 2022 – President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama and Prime Minister of Montenegro Dimitar Abazovych during their joint visit to Ukraine.
January 13, 2023 – telephone conversation between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama.
On June 1, 2023, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama held a meeting on the sidelines of the second summit of the European Political Community.
Contacts at the level of heads of parliaments:
July 1, 2011 – bilateral meeting of the Speaker of the Parliament of Albania Jozefina Topalli with the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Lytvyn during the summit of the BSEC Parliamentary Assembly (Kyiv).
Contacts at the level of heads of government:
January 19-21, 2020 – the working visit of the Acting Chairman of the OSCE, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama to Ukraine. Meeting with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko and Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Honcharuk.
June 15, 2022 – Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal met with Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama and Prime Minister of Montenegro Dimitar Abazovych during their joint visit to Ukraine.
Contacts at the level of heads of foreign policy departments:
November 4, 2016 – the official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin to Albania (negotiations with the President of Albania Bujar Nishani, the Speaker of the Parliament Illir Meta and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania Dimitri Bushati).
February 21-23, 2018 – the official visit of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Dimitri Bushati to Ukraine.
June 3, 2021 – a telephone conversation between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Olta Xhacka.
On May 14, 2022 – the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba held a meeting with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Olta Xhacka (Berlin).
Bilateral bodies of the highest level: The Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Albanian Commission is in the process of determining the terms of the constituent meeting.
Interparliamentary cooperation:
On December 5, 2019, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine created a Deputies’ Group on Interparliamentary Relations with the Republic of Albania, consisting of 6 people (group leader Ihor Vasyliv, Faction of the Political Party “Servant of the People”).
In the new composition of the Albanian Parliament, following the results of the elections on April 25, 2021, a Parliamentary Group on Interparliamentary Relations with Ukraine was formed, which included 5 people (the head of the group is Maiko Pandeli, Socialist Party).
On February 24, 2023, members of the Parliamentary friendship group Xhemal Qefalia, Denis Deliu and Head of the group Pandeli Majko visited Kyiv, where they took part in an extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada on the anniversary of the Russian war against Ukraine.
CONTRACTUAL LEGAL BASE
Number of valid documents: 19
Key documents: Joint communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Republic of Albania, Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Albania on the mutual cancellation of visas, Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Albania on the promotion and mutual protection of investments.
The basic agreement on friendship and cooperation between Ukraine and the Republic of Albania is in the stage of preparation for signing.
Trade and economic cooperation
According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, in Year 2020, the volume of trade in goods and services between Ukraine and Albania amounted to 41.0 million dollars. USA (increased by 44.9%).
In Year 2021, the volume of trade in goods and services between Ukraine and Albania amounted to 51.37 million dollars. USA (increased by 25.4%). At the same time, the export of Ukrainian goods and services to Albania amounted to 39.5 million dollars. USA and increased by 25.8%. Import of goods and services from Albania to Ukraine amounted to 11.8 million dollars. USA, which is 24.1% more than in 2020. The balance of trade with Albania is positive for Ukraine and amounts to 27.6 million dollars. USA.
According to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, in 2022, the volume of trade in goods amounted to USD 34.61 million (↓18.4% compared to 2021), of which exports amounted to USD 24.35 million (↓33%), imports amounted to USD 10.26 million (↑34.61%). The balance for Ukraine is positive and amounted to USD 14.09 million.
According to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, during January-March 2023, the volume of trade in goods amounted to USD 12.7 million, of which exports amounted to USD 6.887 million, imports amounted to USD 5.815 million. The balance for Ukraine is positive and amounted to USD 1.072 million.
In the structure of exports of Ukrainian goods to Albania dominate: ferrous metals (32.3%); fats and oils of animal or vegetable origin (24.1%); grain crops (14.6%); wood and wood products (4.9%); milk, dairy products, poultry eggs, natural honey (3.4%); nuclear reactors, boilers, machines (2.7%); seeds and products of oil plants (2.5%), etc.
The structure of imports from Albania is dominated by deliveries of: vegetables (40.9%); ferrous metals (12.1%); mineral fuel; oil and products of its distillation (23.0%); ferrous metal products (14.6%); shoes (7.5%); clothing and accessories for clothing, knitwear (2.5%); edible fruits and nuts (2.4%); seeds and fruits of oil plants (2.2%).
Albanian Prime Minister visit to Kyiv
Prime Minister of the country, Edi Rama, they signed the Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Ukraine and Albania
CULTURAL AND HUMANITARIAN COOPERATION
The development of cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Ukraine and the Republic of Albania is based on the provisions of the Agreement on Cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Albania dated May 27, 2003.
As of today, work is underway on the updated draft of the agreement and the signing of the interdepartmental Program.
2020-2021
The development of cooperation in the archival sphere has been initiated. The draft Agreement between the State Archives Service of Ukraine and the Central Archives of the Republic of Albania was approved by the Albanian side and it was agreed to sign the said Agreement as part of the exchange of high-level visits.
On June 21-23, 2021, as part of the visit of the delegation of the National Aviation University, two cooperation agreements were signed with the Mediterranean University of Albania and the Polytechnic University of Tirana.
Work continues on the conclusion of the Protocol on cooperation between Kyiv National University named after T. Shevchenko and Tirana State University, as well as the initiation of the practice of student and teacher exchange, teaching Ukrainian and Albanian languages at Kyiv and Tirana universities.
The establishment of cooperation between the national scientific academies of Ukraine and the Republic of Albania and the National Library named after I. Vernadskyy with the National Library of Albania has been initiated.
Year 2022
On August 19, 2023, as part of the initiative of First Lady Olena Zelenska, the Embassy ensured the opening of the “Ukrainian Bookshelf” in the National Library of Tirana.
Year 2023
During the first quarter of Year 2023, as part of the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, the Embassy ensured the opening of three Ukrainian bookshelves in different cities of Albania, in particular:
– February 9, 2023 in the city library of Durres;
– February 17, 2023 in the city library of Korca;
– March 31, 2023 in the city library of Elbasan.
On February 17, 2023 as part of the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, the official opening of the Ukrainian-language audio guide took place at the National Museum of Medieval Art in Korca.
Interregional cooperation
Year 2021
As part of the development of twinning relations between the cities of Kharkiv and Tirana, on May 14, 2021 representatives of the Kharkiv City Council met with the Vice-Mayor of Tirana, Anuela Ristani. During the meeting, in particular, they discussed the possibility of erecting a monument to Taras Shevchenko in Tirana (in Kharkiv – to Mother Teresa). They also agreed on joint measures in the field of youth policy. In frames of the visit, an Agreement on cooperation was also signed between the I-III grade school N5 in Kharkiv and the gymnasium “Sami Frasheri” in Tirana.
On October 26, 2021 Mayor of Kyiv, Vitalii Klitschko, and Mayor of the capital of Albania, Tirana, Erion Veliaj, signed a Memorandum on the establishment of friendly relations between the cities.
Year 2022
May 12, 2022 Head of the Kharkiv Regional Council Tetyana Yehorova-Lutsenko signed the Memorandum of Understanding, Friendship and Cooperation between the Kharkiv Regional Council of Ukraine and the Fier Prefecture of the Republic of Albania in frames of a visit to the Republic of Albania.
On July 7, 2022, during the meeting of the local councils of Tirana and Kharkiv, with the participation of mayors Erion Veliai and Igor Terekhov (online), the Tirana city council made a decision on the post-war reconstruction of one of the schools in the city of Kharkiv.
Year 2023
The Embassy ensured the establishment of appropriate cooperation between the Nikopol District Council and the Elbasan regional council. A Memorandum of Cooperation was concluded on May 9, 2023.
As of today, agreements on twinning relations between the cities of Mykolaiv-Durres, Khotyn-Berrat are being worked out.
Albanian diaspora in Ukraine
The total number of the Albanian diaspora in Ukraine is about 3,500 people, most of whom live in four settlements: Karakurt (Odesa region), Hamivka, Georgiivka and Divnynske (Zaporizhzhia region). According to the 2001 census of Ukraine, Albanians lived in 24 regions of Ukraine.
INTERREGIONAL COOPERATION
Year 2021
As part of the development of twinning relations between the cities of Kharkiv and Tirana, on May 14, 2021 representatives of the Kharkiv City Council met with the Vice-Mayor of Tirana, Anuela Ristani. During the meeting, in particular, they discussed the possibility of erecting a monument to Taras Shevchenko in Tirana (in Kharkiv – to Mother Teresa). They also agreed on joint measures in the field of youth policy. In frames of the visit, an Agreement on cooperation was also signed between the I-III grade school N5 in Kharkiv and the gymnasium “Sami Frasheri” in Tirana.
On October 26, 2021 Mayor of Kyiv, Vitalii Klitschko, and Mayor of the capital of Albania, Tirana, Erion Veliaj, signed a Memorandum on the establishment of friendly relations between the cities.
Year 2022
May 12, 2022 Head of the Kharkiv Regional Council Tetyana Yehorova-Lutsenko signed the Memorandum of Understanding, Friendship and Cooperation between the Kharkiv Regional Council of Ukraine and the Fier Prefecture of the Republic of Albania in frames of a visit to the Republic of Albania.
On July 7, 2022, during the meeting of the local councils of Tirana and Kharkiv, with the participation of mayors Erion Veliai and Igor Terekhov (online), the Tirana city council made a decision on the post-war reconstruction of one of the schools in the city of Kharkiv.
Year 2023
The Embassy ensured the establishment of appropriate cooperation between the Nikopol District Council and the Elbasan regional council. A Memorandum of Cooperation was concluded on May 9, 2023.
As of today, agreements on twinning relations between the cities of Mykolaiv-Durres, Khotyn-Berrat are being worked out.
ALBANIAN DIASPORA IN UKRAINE
The total number of the Albanian diaspora in Ukraine is about 3,500 people, most of whom live in four settlements: Karakurt (Odesa region), Hamivka, Georgiivka and Divnynske (Zaporizhzhia region). According to the 2001 census of Ukraine, Albanians lived in 24 regions of Ukraine.