SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN COOPERATION PROCESS - SEECP 2024-2025
TIRANA CHAIRMANSHIP-IN-OFFICE (CiO)
PRIORITIES OF THE TIRANA SEECP CHAIRMANSHIP-IN-OFFICE
“Shaping our European future”.
Albania considers the Southeast European Cooperation Process as a remarkable regional mechanism that aims at enhancing good-neighborly relations and promoting dialogue and cooperation among its participants with the perspective of European integration of the EU aspiring participants. Tirana SEECP Chairmanship in Office will contribute to the further strengthening of regional cooperation, increasing the collaboration on the implementation of the Common Regional Market goals as well as acceleration of the European Integration Process. We are aware that fostering overall cooperation within the SEECP platform will serve to face the recent challenges of our region.
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THEMATIC PRIORITIES:
- European integration
- The current global challenges have stated the need to further the relations between the European Union and the EU aspiring participants. EU Integration processes are highly significant for the Western Balkans both in terms of political and economic perspectives. To that regard, we welcome the EU growth plan, and we highly assess the EU endeavors to bring some of the benefits of EU membership to the people of the Western Balkans.
- Security cooperation
- We emphasize the important role of the South-East European Process on the security and stability of Europe. We will continue to take steps that aim to improve our region’s contribution to global peace and security. Albania reaffirms the strong will to further enhance regional cooperation for strengthening the rule of law, implementing policies promoting religious tolerance and coexistence, as direct contributors to the democratization, protection of human rights, gender equality, security and stability of our region and the prevention of radicalization and violent extremist acts.
- Economy growth
- Albania assess the importance of the economic convergence for all the SEECP participants.Tirana C-i-O will reemphasize the need to the full implementation of the Common Regional Market (CRM) goals to enhance the progress of the regional economic integration as a pathway towards the EU Single Market. Shaping our digital future, strengthening the market economy, building a Union of prosperity, and making Europe stronger in the world are our common goals enshrined in the EU political strategy.
- Health cooperation
- Health and well-being are human rights. Health is a public good that contributes to peace, economic development, and growth. This is the core of our philosophy for building the Albanian 2021-2030 Health Strategy, which is based on the basic principles of solidarity, universality and reducing inequalities. The importance of the health sector for the overall wellbeing and development should be at the forefront of regional cooperation.
- Tourism and culture
- Tirana SEECP Chairmanship in Office will deepen efforts on promoting regional cooperation in tourism and encouraging joint efforts in this regard. Through culture Albania will continue to globally strengthen its quality representation as the best passport. In this prospect, we are proud that in 2025 we can present Tirana as a lighthouse of culture and dialogue in the Mediterranean region. We will continue to highlight the common cultural values as well as promoting the tourism potential of the Southeast European area, which would contribute to fostering culture and tourism cooperation.
- Interconnectivity and transport
- Acknowledging the crucial importance of transport as a powerful tool to boost the interconnectivity of our region, Tirana SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office aims to deepen the ongoing efforts for border crossing facilitation within the Southeast European zone as well as with the EU member states by enhancing the implementation of recent mobility agreements.
Furthermore, the Albanian C-i-O will be focused on the Green and Blue Lanes initiatives and more specifically, on the full extension of these lanes, boosting the establishment of one-stop border controls, as well as promoting electronic exchange of certificates.