Today Clément Beaune, Minister of State for European Affairs, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, is hosting Gent Cakaj, Albania’s Acting Foreign Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Today Clément Beaune, Minister of State for European Affairs, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, is hosting Gent Cakaj, Albania’s Acting Foreign Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Bilateral relations with Albania are excellent. France supports closer relations between Albania and Europe, and is assisting in the democratization process and long-term stabilization. There is a continued, confident high-level political dialogue between the two countries. Albanian elites are often Francophile and Francophone.
Information on bilateral visits: https://al.ambafrance.org/-Visites-bilaterales-
Trade between France and Albania is limited, but has grown in recent years, increasing from €27 million in 2005 to €150 million in 2018. France has had a trade deficit with Albania since 2012. In 2018, it stood at €26 million. French exports to Albania totalled €62 million in 2018, while French imports from Albania amounted to €88 million.
French cooperation efforts in Albania centre on the French embassy’s Cooperation and Cultural Action Service (SCAC), four archaeological missions in the country, and a network of five Alliance Française offices, which have three branches in major cities. Albania stands out as a beacon for Francophonie in the region: French is the second most-taught foreign language in the school system, and the SCAC has strong ties to a network of French teachers and around twenty bilingual sections in high schools. Bilateral cooperation focuses on the following areas: consolidating the position of the French language and accompanying Albania towards closer relations with Europe through institutional cooperation focused on strengthening the rule of law and the training of elites.
In 2012, the French embassy supported the creation of the French International School of Tirana. It was approved by the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) in June 2013.
Updated: 17.07.19