TIRANA, 26 November 2025 – Representatives from government institutions, the diplomatic community, academia and civil society gathered today at the high-level conference “Albania’s transformation and engagement with the OSCE: From the Helsinki Final Act to today.” The event, jointly organized by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania and the OSCE Presence in Albania, marked an opportunity to reflect on Albania’s historic and contemporary engagement with the OSCE and the enduring principles of the Helsinki Final Act.

Opening the conference, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Elisa Spiropali underlined Albania’s long-standing partnership with the OSCE and the Organization’s role in supporting the country’s democratic transition and reform agenda.

 “I would like to commend the Finnish Chairmanship for its focus on the future of the OSCE through the Helsinki+50 initiative. Above all, this initiative is not just about marking an anniversary. The objective is to shape an OSCE that can respond to the realities of today and tomorrow. As we look to the future, there is an opportunity for us to make a significant contribution to the process of renewal.”

Ambassador Terhi Hakala, Special Envoy of the Finnish OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, emphasized the continued relevance of the Helsinki principles and the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security—one that recognizes peace as inseparable from human rights, economic cooperation and dialogue among states.

 “Albania has been a committed member of the OSCE family since its democratic transition and hosted an active field operation since 1997. The close cooperation between the Presence and Albanian authorities and civil society actors have contributed successfully to Albania’s strategic goals and the reform agenda of today”.

Ambassador Michel Tarran, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, spoke of the close co-operation between the Presence and Albanian institutions, for almost three decades, in advancing democratic governance, human rights and the rule of law.

“Let me close on a note that the Helsinki architects understood well: security is a shared endeavor. Dialogue is more durable than division. And human dignity must remain the center of everything we do. These are not abstract ideals; they are the foundation for stability in a turbulent era.”

Throughout the event, participants reflected on Albania’s trajectory from isolation to an active contributor to multilateral diplomacy. National experts, historians and institutional representatives presented historical perspectives on Albania’s role in the Helsinki process, its accession to the CSCE/OSCE in the early 1990s and the country’s democratic transformation. The discussion also highlighted Albania’s successful OSCE Chairpersonship in the particularly challenging year 2020, which demonstrated the country’s growing leadership on regional co-operation, conflict prevention and human rights.

Speakers underlined lessons learned from Albania’s engagement with the OSCE and noted the evolution of reforms in areas such as electoral processes, anti-trafficking efforts, human rights protection, media freedom and good governance. They also addressed contemporary challenges facing the OSCE amid a shifting geopolitical environment, underscoring the need to safeguard the principles of dialogue, co-operation and comprehensive security.

The conference concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared commitment of Albania and the OSCE to uphold the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act and continue working together to advance security, stability and democratic resilience in the region and beyond.