The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, received his Israeli counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar, on an official visit to Tirana this morning.

The meeting focused on further strengthening bilateral relations between Albania and Israel, as well as exchanging views on regional and global security challenges, including Albania’s contribution within the framework of the Board of Peace.

Minister Hoxha emphasized that Albania-Israel relations are built on a unique history of friendship, respect and solidarity, which provides a strong foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation in the future.

During the visit, Minister Hoxha and his counterpart signed the Agreement on General Cooperation, marking an important step towards strengthening the partnership between the two countries.

The agreement establishes a broad framework for intergovernmental cooperation and provides a structured mechanism for developing concrete partnerships in areas of mutual interest, including the economy and trade, innovation and technology, agriculture, water management, energy, healthcare, education, security, tourism and culture.

In particular, cooperation in tourism has seen very positive developments in recent years, becoming one of the most dynamic and promising sectors of bilateral relations.

During the meeting, Minister Hoxha reaffirmed Albania’s support for Israel’s security, while underscoring the importance of efforts to achieve a solution that ensures lasting peace, stability and security for the entire region.

The visit also provided an opportunity to reaffirm Albania’s commitment to combating terrorism, extremism, antisemitism and all forms of hatred. In this context, Minister Sa’ar visited an archival exhibition documenting Albania’s well-known tradition of protecting Jews during the Second World War, a source of pride in our country’s history.

The two ministers emphasized the importance of continuing political dialogue and cooperation at all levels through ongoing coordination between the two countries, with a view to further strengthening the Albania-Israel partnership.