The US Department of State, on the day of the official visit of the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken to Albania, has published a communiqué on the relations between the two countries over the years.

DASH has made a resume regarding the cooperation over the years between the United States of America and Albania since the establishment of the first diplomatic relations in 1992, their separation during the communist regime and the restoration in 1991 with the arrival of democracy in the country.

The United States and Albania are committed to strengthening economic and trade ties. The US Department of State has said that in recent years, Albania has made great strides in promoting trade and opening up a number of sectors to foreign investment.

“Energy, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, travel and tourism, construction and agriculture are the main sectors for exports and investment growth in the US. The investments of the United States in Albania have tripled compared to the level before the pandemic of 2019, while the trade of goods between the two countries has increased by one and a half times. Major imports from the United States include food, vehicles, and machinery, while major exports to the United States include agricultural commodities, ferroalloys, aluminum, and footwear. Albania has the right to export certain products duty-free to the United States under the Generalized System of Preferences program. The United States and Albania have ratified a bilateral investment treaty", states the announcement of the US Department of State.

This communique also mentions US aid to Albania for strengthening democratic institutions, to fight corruption, as well as organized crime.

"The US Government's assistance aims to help Albania strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law; promoting sustainable broad-based economic growth; and the country's integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures. The United States will continue to partner with Albania to fight corruption and organized crime and to improve transparent, inclusive governance, critical to the country's success on its path to EU integration. The United States and Albania are implementing one of our largest cybersecurity assistance efforts, worth over $50 million in support of strengthening Albania's cyber defenses," the statement said.

The American State Department also mentions Albania's membership in International Organizations

"Albania and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization. Albania is also an observer of the Organization of American States. Since June 2014, Albania is a candidate for membership in the European Union.

It is also said that the United States has been a strong partner and friend of Albania since the first diplomatic relations were established in 1922 and restored in 1991 after the fall of communist rule.

"We have been proud to partner with Albania as it has made progress to strengthen democracy, open its economy and provide greater opportunities for all its people. Albania and the United States have signed a number of agreements, including a treaty to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and promote defense and military relations; Adriatic Charter for Euro-Atlantic integration; an agreement on the operation of a special Afghan visa platform for emigration to Albanian soil; and a memorandum of understanding on 4G and 5G security. The United States supports the objective of Albania's membership in the European Union, as it did in Albania's search for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)," the US State Department said in a statement.

It goes on to say that the United States and Albania are working together – in coordination with other allies and partners – to ensure Ukraine's future as a sovereign, free and prosperous nation. We are committed to supporting the brave people of Ukraine, helping them defend their nation from Russia's brutal, unprovoked aggression and deter future attacks.

"Albania regularly contributes to regional and global security. In the framework of the Adriatic Charter, Albania has acted as a mentor for young NATO aspirants. Albania and American service members have stood side by side in military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and as part of the Global Coalition Against ISIL. We have worked together to freeze terrorist assets and shut down non-governmental organizations with possible links to terrorist financing. Albania contributes to operations around the globe, with troops deployed in Latvia as part of NATO's Advanced Presence (eFP) and in Kosovo as part of KFOR. Albania is committed to the Joint Task Force of Very High Readiness and the Increased Vigilance Activity. Beyond NATO, Albania sent its first ever deployment to the Multinational Force and Observer (MFO) peacekeeping mission in Sinai and is a member of the Combined Maritime Forces supporting operations in the Red Sea.

The US State Department notes that Albania also expects a continued US military presence.

"In 2022, Albania welcomed a Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) headquarters, a task force in the Balkans and a US Army Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) and works closely with the New Jersey National Guard for cyber defense and military training. Albania's close relationship with the New Jersey National Guard and SFAB helped them successfully pass the NATO Combat Readiness Assessment at the end of 2022.

In the end, it is said that Albania and the United States share a strong connection and affinity that dates back to the intervention of President Woodrow Wilson in favor of Albania's independence. Since the fall of communism in 1991, Americans and Albanians have strengthened our common ties through exchange programs, including Fulbright, the YES High School Exchange, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and others. There are more than 2000 Albanian graduates in US government programs. Peace Corps Volunteers have been serving across the country since 1992 and have been a vital part of the people-to-people connections between our countries.