Marking 50 years since the signing of the landmark document that founded the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the conference brought together senior officials from OSCE participating states, partner countries, international organizations, and civil society.

In his address, Hasani emphasized that the Act’s core principles – respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-use of force, and human rights – are not merely historical norms, but essential guidelines for maintaining international stability, particularly amid current geopolitical tensions.

“The continued violation of these principles by the Russian Federation through its aggression against Ukraine poses a direct challenge to the credibility of the OSCE,” Hasani stated.

In this context, he underlined the growing relevance of the OSCE as both a platform for dialogue and a guardian of the Helsinki principles.

Hasani reaffirmed Albania’s commitment to a functional and responsive OSCE, capable of addressing not only military threats but also digital, hybrid, environmental, and social challenges. Albania served as OSCE Chair in 2020.

The conference was also addressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and concluded with a joint call to strengthen adherence to the Helsinki principles amid rising global tensions.

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The meeting focused on the Western Balkans’ progress on the European Union accession path, highlighting vital role of the process in ensuring long-term peace and security across the continent.

Attention centered on Albania’s advancement towards EU membership. Foreign Minister Hasani reaffirmed the government’s steadfast commitment to advancing key reforms, describing European integration as a clear national priority.

“We are grateful for Ireland’s sustained support for the enlargement process and for the concrete assistance in our journey towards membership. We had a thoughtful exchange on the EU integration of the Western Balkans and Albania’s unwavering commitment to its European path. As Ireland prepares to hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026, we truly appreciate its steadfast and forward-looking support for enlargement,” Hasani said in a social media post.

He underlined that Albania is ready to open the next accession negotiation chapters as the country aims to wrap up the technical phase by 2027, with the goal of joining the EU before the decade’s end.

Minister Hasani also emphasized that Albania remains fully aligned with the EU’s foreign and security policy and actively participates in its civilian and military missions – a significant contribution to regional and wider security.

Talks further addressed strengthening bilateral relations between Albania and Ireland, including the introduction of direct flights and opportunities to boost Irish investments in the country.

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“I visited the Albanian Armed Forces contingent at Camp Ādaži in Latvia. Proud of each of the 22 men and women serving with professionalism and dedication – valued by our Latvian hosts and representing Albania’s unwavering commitment to NATO and collective defense,” Hasani said in a post on the social media on Thursday.

Hasani is in Latvia for an official visit, where he also held talks with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze. The two ministers discussed opportunities for closer cooperation in areas including education, cybersecurity, tourism, and cultural exchange.

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The meeting emphasized the critical role of consular engagement in economic diplomacy and the importance of forging practical partnerships that can yield lasting impact in strengthening ties between Albania and the countries represented by the Honorary Consuls.

Foreign Minister described the Honorary Consuls as “trusted partners in building stronger connections between Albania and their respective countries.”

“The work of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in economic diplomacy would not be complete without your involvement. We are committed to adopting a more proactive approach and working closely in areas that generate tangible economic and cultural impact. To this end, we will consolidate mechanisms for long-term, structured, and sustainable cooperation with the Honorary Consuls in our country,” Hasani stated.

The discussion also addressed the need to deepen collaboration in order to generate ideas that stimulate investment and economic development, strengthen Albania’s tourism image, and support the export of Albanian products abroad.

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In a social media post, Foreign Minister Hasani said that that the evacuees – in Israel for work or family reasons – were evacuated through Jordan and Egypt.

Foreign Minister expressed gratitude to the Israeli, Jordanian, and Egyptian authorities, as well as the Austrian Embassy in Tel Aviv, for their close coordination with Albanian embassies in Tel Aviv and Cairo.

The Foreign Ministry, he added, continues to prioritize assistance to Albanian nationals affected by the situation and in need of institutional support.

The first group of five Albanian citizens was evacuated from Israel on June 18, following an escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran involving reciprocal missile attacks.

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Hasani described the discussion as fruitful, emphasizing the shared commitment to deepening political dialogue and expanding economic cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

“We reaffirmed the importance of strengthening political dialogue and broadening economic cooperation in fields of common interest,” the Albanian foreign minister said on social media on Tuesday, sharing moments from the meeting.

Albania has successfully concluded its one-year chairmanship of the SEECP from July 2024 to June 2025, under the motto “Shaping Our European Future.”

On Monday, Tirana hosted a ministerial summit welcoming heads of state and senior representatives from 13 participating countries, reinforcing its role as a regional diplomatic hub.

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Speaking in a televised interview, Hasani underlined that the exact date for the Fifth Intergovernmental Conference has yet to be set by the European Commission (EC), but confirmed that the Albanian side is fully prepared.

“Albania is ready, member states are ready. The only remaining step is identifying a date when all parties are available, given the tight schedules in Brussels. I hope it will take place under the Polish presidency of the Council of the EU. It is a matter of days. If it does not happen by June 30, it will take place in early July. That will mark the opening of the fifth and final negotiating cluster,” Hasani said.

Asked about the timeline for concluding accession negotiations, Foreign Minister emphasized that Albania has a detailed and jointly agreed plan with the European Commission to wrap up all negotiating clusters by the end of 2027.

“The year 2027 is the target agreed with the Commission so that, by 2028, we can begin political negotiations with EU member states for the ratification of Albania’s accession,” he added.

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The meeting focused on current geopolitical challenges and the need to strengthen collective resilience against hybrid threats.

Foreign Minister affirmed Albania’s steadfast commitment to press ahead on the path towards the European integration, outlining some of the steps launched by the country to tackle hybrid threats and fully align with the EU and NATO.

“Albania’s commitment to EU integration remains steady and uninterrupted. Our work continues with focus and resolve to advance the accession process,” Hasani said in his remarks.

He highlighted the adoption of the Cybersecurity Strategy and Action Plan, alignment with EU regulations on the resilience of critical infrastructure by 2026, as well as the implementation of secondary legislation under the Law on Cybersecurity by 2025.

Hasani said that Albania’s membership in the Helsinki-based European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki is an important step towards fostering cooperation and exchanging best practices.

“No country is immune to hybrid threats and this is why we must remain vigilant and work closely together,” Hasani stating, adding that Albania is also ready to contribute to building a regional cooperation framework among the Western Balkan countries under the EU umbrella as part of the efforst to address disinformation and hybrid threats.

Foreign Minister Hasani also stated that EU enlargement should be a top priority, as it guarantees our common future against such threats while simultaneously contributing to preserving the unity of Europe.

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The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said that Hasani was hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan, to explore ways to further expand and deepen bilateral cooperation in all areas of common interest.

The two also discussed regional cooperation, developments in the region, Europe and beyond.

Foreign Minister Igli Hasani noted that he and his Turkish counterpart also reaffirmed the strong and growing partnership between Albania and Türkiye, built on trust, cooperation, and shared strategic interests.

“Ways to boost economic cooperation and to attract Turkish investors to Albania, which offers increasingly favorable investment potential, advance trade exchanges to a target of 2 billion euros, regional and broader dynamics for security and stability, ways to strengthen cooperation in international organizations, the 6th Summit of the European Political Community to be held in May 2025 in Tirana, – were some of the topics we discussed with our good friend, Hakan Fidan,” Hasani said.

”As we prepare for the upcoming High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting, we remain committed to deepening our collaboration across all levels—bilateral, regional, and global,” Hasani added.

During his official visit to Türkiye, Foreign Minister Hasani toured the Anıtkabir Atatürk mausoleum complex.

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Foreign Minister Hasani began his visit on Tuesday with a productive meeting with Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Kuwait on regional developments and strengthening cooperation in international organizations.

Hasani said that they also had insightful exchanges on economic and trade opportunities, appreciating Kuwait’s support for infrastructure projects in Albania.

“With its pro-European youth, investor-friendly policies, and strategic location, Albania offers strong potential for further Kuwaiti investments,” Foreign Minister Igli Hasani said in a post on the social media.

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