Albania seeks closer ties with Pakistan in trade, labour, tourism

ISLAMABAD: Albania is keen to deepen its engagement with Pakistan, with a focus on labour, tourism, and trade, according to Honorary Consul of Albania in Islamabad, Tahseen Sayed.

Following discussions with the Albanian leadership including its Prime Minister, Sayed expressed optimism about the potential for increased collaboration between the two countries.

“The Albanian leadership welcomed opportunities to work with Pakistan, particularly in tourism and the labor market,” she said.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Tahseen Sayed, a former regional senior director at the World Bank, emphasized the importance of her meetings with Albania’s leadership. “I had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Edi Rama and senior ministers in areas such as foreign affairs, tourism, defense, entrepreneurship, European integration, finance, economy, and planning,” she said.

She also met the Mayor of Tirana and discussed economic cooperation with representatives from the private sector, including chambers of commerce, the banking sector, and tourism operators.

The consul highlighted Albania’s interest in leveraging Pakistan’s skilled labor force and promoting bilateral trade. She noted that both nations could benefit from closer ties, with particular attention to boosting tourism, an industry that Albania is seeking to expand.

Notably, the Honorary Consulate of Albania in Islamabad was established in January 2023, with Tahseen Sayed Khan appointed as Honorary Consul by Albania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Pakistan’s agreement. Sayed, a seasoned development professional with over 30 years of experience, has led transformative initiatives across South Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean, focusing on leadership, policy analysis, and project development.

She recently returned to Pakistan after a significant visit to Albania, aimed at enhancing trade and tourism relations between the two countries. During her trip, she met with top Albanian officials, including Prime Minister Edi Rama, to discuss strengthening bilateral ties.

She also praised Pakistan’s recent decision to grant visa-on-arrival status to Albanian tourists, a move that she believes will boost both tourism and trade between the two nations. “This step will encourage more Albanians to visit Pakistan and promote mutual business opportunities,” Sayed added.

Albania, a southeastern European nation on the Adriatic and Ionian seas, has borders with Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and North Macedonia.

The country, once part of the Ottoman Empire, has seen a dramatic rise in tourism in recent years, with visitor numbers doubling since the pre-COVID period. Positioned strategically for access to European markets, especially in southeastern Europe, Albania has been gaining traction as a tourist destination.