Speaking at the fourth Diaspora Summit in Tirana on Wednesday, Gonxhja described the diaspora as a “living force” across economic, social, cultural and diplomatic spheres, rather than simply a legacy of migration.

Gonxhja said relations with the diaspora require a more strategic, structured and inclusive approach, moving beyond symbolic ties to create concrete mechanisms that enable active participation in policymaking, development and national projects.

He highlighted the growing role of cultural diplomacy as a key policy tool, calling for it to become a central pillar of Albania’s National Culture Strategy for 2026 – 2030.

He called for a more strategic and structured approach to engagement, moving beyond symbolic ties to enable concrete participation in policymaking and national projects.

Gonxhja highlighted cultural diplomacy as a central policy tool and said tourism – accounting for over 22% of GDP – is a key pillar in promoting Albania internationally.

He also pointed to rising visitor numbers, including from Kosovo, and stressed the importance of leveraging diaspora expertise as a bridge for knowledge transfer and long-term development.

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Speaking at a panel titled “The Albanian diaspora as a supporting partner for European integration and sustainable development” during the fourth Diaspora Summit in Tirana, Dhuka said the goal of “Albania 2030 in the EU” has become a concrete and achievable project.

She said the country has moved from the preparatory phase to intensive negotiations, having opened talks with the European Union across 33 policy chapters, and is now actively engaged in the accession process.

“We are now working to fulfil the conditions and move towards closing negotiations for each chapter. This process represents not only integration, but a profound European transformation of the country,” she said.

Comparing the process to Albania’s democratic transition in the 1990s, Dhuka described the diaspora as an indispensable factor in the country’s progress.

“The diaspora is our energy in this transformation. We need your experience, knowledge, innovation and the standards you bring from EU countries,” she said, urging Albanians abroad to play an active role in the integration process.

She also called for broader support from citizens of EU member states, encouraging the diaspora to help improve perceptions of Albania abroad.

The panel, organised under the auspices of the State Minister and chief negotiator, focused on the diaspora’s role as a strategic actor in accelerating EU integration and sustainable development.

Discussions centred on identifying priority areas where diaspora contributions could have direct impact, as well as integrating this potential into public policy and EU alignment processes through coordinated and measurable mechanisms.

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