In her remarks at the Diaspora Coordinating Council, Xhaçka said that “the success of this mission hinges on close cooperation between us.”

“From a relationship where we see each other as partners bound by a truly noble mission such as the consolidation of the Diaspora, strengthening of its role in the advancement of the nation, and strengthening the relations of Albanians wherever they are with their homeland. It is something that has been talked about often, but little has been done in most of the decades since the fall of the regime. Meanwhile, we are deeply indebted to the diaspora,” she said.

Xhaçka said that “strengthening relations with the diaspora is also an opportunity and an extraordinary potential.”

“But this is only one side of the coin because even if we see it pragmatically, beyond the debt of gratitude we owe to our brothers and sisters who live outside the homeland, strengthening relations with the diaspora is also an opportunity and an extraordinary potential. Let’s not forget, today that we are talking, between the historical communities in America, Australia and Turkey and the later ones in Greece, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, UK, Canada, etc., at least half of the Albanians live abroad,” she said.

“Anila was telling me yesterday, for example, that there are over 10,000 Albanians in the diaspora who have completed the PHD! 10,000 specialists and scientists! Adriana, the teacher, told me about hundreds of volunteer teachers who teach Albanian to the children of our brothers and sisters all over the world, playing an extraordinary role in preserving identity. I was impressed by the conversation with Rozario and the extraordinary work over 500 years of Arbereshi communities to preserve their identity and what we can learn from their work. Meanwhile, from other colleagues, Lazimi, Ardiani, Endri, who have focused their energies on business, I had the opportunity to hear extraordinary ideas such as that of strengthening and transforming the Diaspora Development Fund into an instrument with impact on investments of diaspora and domestic economy,” the minister said.

Xhaçka said that “Diaspora is, without the slightest doubt, an extraordinary source of human, intellectual, scientific, economic, but also political opportunities, and if we do not find the best ways to build models of cooperation with the diaspora, I believe that history will not forgive us.”

In conclusion, Xhaçka assessed that “Prime Minister Edi Rama is the promoter of what is happening today, the man who for the first time in Albanian politics gave the Diaspora not only the attention it deserves but also a voice in Albanian politics.”
/m.m/sm/