TIRANA, April 14 /ATA/ – Albania has yet to establish a comprehensive registry of its diaspora, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha said on Tuesday, highlighting plans to develop a joint platform with Kosovo to better map and engage Albanians abroad.
Speaking at the fourth Albanian Diaspora Summit, Hoxha acknowledged longstanding difficulties in registering citizens living overseas.
“We do not have the necessary diaspora registry, and I am not ashamed to admit that we have not succeeded in creating one,” he said during a panel discussion on pan-Albanian diaspora cooperation. “We have yet to find the right method and platform for this process, as it is a sensitive issue.”
Efforts so far have yielded limited results, he said, including an earlier platform that failed to function effectively and a voluntary registration scheme that has produced only modest participation.
He said the government’s goal is to build a shared platform with Kosovo’s institutions, focusing on professional profiling rather than collecting sensitive personal data.
“What matters is to understand who they are, which sectors they work in and how they can contribute. We cannot design policies for something we do not properly understand,” he said.
Hoxha stressed that building trust with the diaspora is key, describing registration as a tool to support more effective policymaking.
On cooperation with Kosovo, he said a review is under way of bilateral agreements and future joint projects, including infrastructure.
“The railway link with Kosovo is one of the major projects. It is a significant investment and will take time, but it remains a priority for connectivity between the two countries,” he said.
Hoxha added that several joint government meetings have been held and that efforts are ongoing to improve the effectiveness of cooperation.
He underscored the need for a more coordinated and harmonised approach to diaspora policy, alongside stronger cultural and institutional ties.
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