Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama was in Türkiye on Tuesday upon the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan welcomed Rama at the Presidential Complex in the capital, Ankara, before the two leaders chaired the Türkiye-Albania High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
The Presidency's Directorate of Communications said in a statement that Rama and Erdoğan’s meeting would extensively review bilateral ties and further discuss steps to enhance bilateral cooperation. They were also set to touch on regional and global developments, including protecting stability in the Balkans. The two leaders are expected to sign numerous documents contributing to Türkiye-Albania ties, the directorate said.
Türkiye and Albania last year observed the anniversary of a century of diplomatic relations, which have in recent years evolved into a strategic partnership with Ankara assisting Tirana in various fields ranging from defense to health care and people-to-people contact through education to Albanians who are now serving their country in various sectors.
Diplomatic relations were officially established with the "Agreement on Eternal Friendship and Cooperation" signed between the two countries on Dec.15, 1923.
Turkish-Albanian relations, which have been the scene of long-term cooperation, partnership and different agreements for a century, were crowned with the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by President Erdoğan and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in 2021.
As NATO allies and EU candidate countries, Türkiye and Albania contribute to preserving peace and stability in the Balkans.
Though diplomatic relations were established between the two countries with the signing of the Agreement on Eternal Friendship and Cooperation in 1923, the agreement entered into force on June 15, 1925.
According to the Albanian Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the country’s first ambassador to Türkiye, Rauf Fico, presented his letter of credence on April 13, 1926. In the same year, Tahir Lütfi was appointed as the first Turkish ambassador to Tirana. However, following World War II, a communist government was established in Albania, which refused to recognize the previous governments’ foreign relations and agreements. Although relations between Albania and Türkiye were interrupted during the communist regime, they were restored in 1959. In this context, agreements were signed between the two countries in different fields.
Following the collapse of communism in Albania in 1991, relations between the two countries took on a new dimension. The Socialist Party of Albania’s’ program, led by incumbent Rama, who came to power in 2013, stated that the newly formed government would support strong and strategic relations with Türkiye.
Relations developed in this context in areas such as defense, health, education and culture. Many high-level visits were made by officials from the two countries before the formalization of the strategic partnership.
The formalization of the two countries’ strategic partnership during Rama’s visit to Ankara in January 2021 is regarded as a watershed moment in Turkish-Albanian relations.
In December 2022, a contract was signed in Tirana to purchase a fleet of Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs as part of the Albanian Armed Forces’ modernization as a NATO member and strategic partner.
With the expansion of Türkiye-Albania relations in political and economic fields, trade between the two countries has also increased. Nearly 600 Turkish companies currently operate in Albania, employing thousands of people.
In the last 30 years, Türkiye has assisted and supported Albania in various fields, including combating natural disasters. Following the devastating earthquake that struck Albania on Nov. 26, 2019, Turkish institutions extended their support to the country, with President Erdoğan promising to build hundreds of houses for victims. Türkiye financed 522 houses built in the Lac region of Albania and was handed over to the earthquake victims in a ceremony attended by President Erdoğan.
Türkiye also assisted Albania in the health care sector, including the construction of hospitals and the restoration of health care facilities during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic. Ankara also provided various trainings to health care professionals and allowed Albanians to receive treatment in Türkiye. The Türkiye-Albania Fier Friendship Hospital was built with the financial support of Ankara and began serving Albanians in May 2021, with authorities in Tirana describing it as a "model of success."
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Türkiye’s state-run aid agency, has continuously contributed to the development of Albania’s health sector, from donating ambulance vehicles to restoring health care centers. In Albania, TIKA, which has carried out hundreds of projects in agriculture, education and cultural heritage protection, has also completed work on restoring different structures that remain as cultural heritage from the Ottoman period.
Air Albania, Albania’s first national airline, has formed a partnership with Turkish Airlines (THY) and has begun operations with the assistance of Turkish institutions.
Türkiye has continuously supported the Albanian Armed Forces by providing soldiers with military vehicles, equipment and training.
Albanian students studying at different universities in Türkiye are important in developing and strengthening relations between the two countries. Albanian students who graduated from Türkiye continue contributing in many sectors in their home country. One of the main factors that have strengthened the friendship between the two countries for over a century is the presence of many Turkish citizens of Albanian origin living almost everywhere in Türkiye. As in the past, Turkish citizens currently play various roles in the Albanian state’s political, economic, cultural and social life.