Speaking at a joint news conference with the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar following their meeting in Tirana, Hoxha described the agreement as an important step towards strengthening relations and establishing a structured framework for cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The agreement between the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania and the Government of the State of Israel will facilitate closer cooperation in trade, innovation and technology, agriculture, water management, energy, healthcare, education, security, tourism and culture, Hoxha said.

“Today, we reaffirmed our unwavering commitment, our shared political will and our growing determination to further strengthen our partnership,” he said.

The agreement would create new opportunities for institutions in both countries to work together and deliver lasting benefits for their citizens, Hoxha added.

Security remains a key pillar of the partnership, he said, highlighting the importance both countries attach to combating terrorism, violent extremism and antisemitism, as well as addressing hybrid threats and emerging risks to national security.

Foreign Minister Hoxha also expressed Albania’s gratitude for Israel’s support in strengthening the country’s cyber defence capabilities following cyberattacks in 2022 that Albanian authorities have blamed on Iran and groups linked to it.

“Against this backdrop, our cooperation in cyber security has taken on particular importance in recent years. We are deeply grateful to Israel for its valuable support in strengthening our cyber defence capabilities following the severe cyberattacks carried out by Iran and groups linked to it in 2022 against our critical digital infrastructure,” Hoxha said.

“Since then, we have continued to invest in the resilience of our digital infrastructure and will further strengthen our cooperation with Israel in this vital area,” he added.

Hoxha said there was considerable scope to diversify and expand economic ties, citing growing interest among Israeli businesses and investors in Albania, particularly in infrastructure, agribusiness, technology, innovation, energy and healthcare.

People-to-people ties are also central to a lasting partnership, he said, noting that growing tourism in recent years had become an important bridge between the two countries, creating further opportunities for engagement and exchanges.

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