This statement was signed by Minister of Interior of Albania, Taulant Balla, Minister of Home Affairs of Kosovo, Xhelal Sveçla and UK Minister of State for Countering Illegal Migration, Michael Tomlinson.

The three ministers Balla, Tomlinson and Sveçla confirm the commitment to join efforts in the fight against illegal migration, which has a direct impact on the security of countries and the well-being of citizens.

The Declaration states that enhanced cooperation at the operational level between law enforcement agencies and joint commitments will help dismantle criminal syndicates that facilitate illegal border crossings by exploiting vulnerable migrants and refugees.

The United Kingdom and Albania make a reference to the 2022 Joint Communiqué, which focused on enhanced measures to tackle illegal migration. This included the establishment of a joint UK-Albania Migration Taskforce resulting in a 90% reduction in Albanian boat arrivals by 2023.

However, through the document signed today, the ministers emphasize that organized crime of immigration still remains a challenge, including the transit of third-country nationals within the Western Balkans and the United Kingdom.
Kosovo joins the Migration Task Force to provide a joint law enforcement response to illegal migration. This will enable increased joint operational activity and increased levels of data and information exchange.
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