UAE President arrives in Albania for meetings with PM

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has arrived in Albania and held meetings with the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, on ways to expand cooperation in key sectors such as the economy, trade, renewable energy, food security, and technology.

The UAE President arrived at the Palace of Brigades in the capital Tirana, where the national anthems of the UAE and Albania were played and an honour guard was assembled to salute His Highness.

His Excellency Edi Rama held a banquet in honour of the UAE President and the accompanying delegation.

His Highness underscored that the UAE, as part of its consistent approach towards advancing global peace, supports all efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Balkan region. 

His Highness also emphasised the UAE’s support for resolving conflicts through diplomacy and dialogue to foster regional development and prosperity and peace and security worldwide.

Sheikh Mohamed highlighted the significant progress in UAE-Albania relations in recent years, particularly in areas that contribute to both nations’ joint development. He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to further strengthening these ties in the coming period and noted that non-oil trade between the UAE and Albania grew by 129.4 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023.

His Highness stated that the two nations engage in promising cooperation in renewable and clean energy in line with their shared sustainability ambitions, emphasising the UAE’s keenness to further bolster collaboration in this sector in the future.

Both sides affirmed their continued determination to advance relations for the benefit of their countries and people,

The UAE President and the Albanian Prime Minister witnessed the exchange of a framework for action between Masdar, TAQA Transmission, Korporata Elektroenergjitike Shqiptare (KESH) – Albania Power Corporation, and Operatori i Sistemit të Transmetimit (OST).

The framework will progress their collaboration on the assessment and implementation of the initiatives of the tripartite strategic partnership framework related to renewable energy and energy infrastructure signed by the UAE, Albania, and Italy.

This framework aims to enhance cooperation in developing renewable energy projects, thereby improving energy security, promoting sustainable development, and accelerating the transition to clean energy in the Mediterranean region.

His Highness and the Albanian Prime Minister also witnessed the exchange of a letter of engagement between Presight AI and the Albanian Ministry of Interior for the Albania Smart City Project with the aim of improving infrastructure and public facilities.

The exchange took place between UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, and from the Albanian side, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku and Minister of Interior, Ervin Hoxha.