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Mediation diplomacy, the capital of Albania

2026-01-18 19:25:00, Opinione Dr.Arben Ramkaj

The invitation for Albania to take a seat on the Gaza Peace Board was unexpected. For a small country like ours, this is not something that happens often. Precisely for this reason, the news was not only surprising, but also important. It shows that Albania is no longer seen only as a country that follows international developments, but as a country that can participate in them.

This is where the broader meaning of this invitation begins. Gaza can no longer be seen as an isolated case. It cannot be separated today from Syria and the question of its territorial integrity, nor from the developments in southern Yemen or from the events in Somaliland. All of these are part of the same fragile geopolitical reality, where conflicts are increasingly interconnected and where solutions require integrated approaches.

In this context, the Gaza Peace Board is not a magic solution, but an attempt to open avenues for dialogue and to anticipate other complex developments expected in the region. Albania's involvement in this process only gains value if it is read as part of this broader picture and not as an isolated episode.

In this context, the role of the Prime Minister cannot be overlooked. Frequent trips to the Middle East and direct contacts with countries that are often on opposite sides of conflicts have brought Albania out of a long diplomatic silence. The fact that he is expected and respected in various capitals of the region is not common for a country of our weight and shows that Albania is being heard more than before.

However, from the outside this diplomacy is sometimes perceived as too close to Israel. This is a partial reading. In reality, Albania today has communication and relations with other key countries in the region. This respect does not come from partiality, but from an approach that does not close doors and does not use exclusionary language.

For this reason, strategic relations in the Middle East must be seen more broadly. Israel is an important political and technological actor, but Saudi Arabia, as the leader of the Arab Gulf axis, has a crucial role in the economic, energy and financial stability of the region. Relations with Riyadh must be strategic and long-term. At the same time, Turkey, with its role between the Middle East and Europe, remains part of the balance that Albania must manage carefully.

But diplomacy is not limited to high-level meetings. The reality is simpler and more difficult: many Albanian embassies in these countries operate with one or two people, with small budgets and often with the help of host countries. This is not enough. If we want to have a real role, we need to invest more in our people on the ground. Commitment is expected from ambassadors, but concrete support is expected from the state.

Ultimately, events in the Middle East are directly relevant to us. They affect energy, migration, and the European economy. The Western Balkans is a developing region, and Albania is in a geographical position that makes it important in the midst of this.

Therefore, for Albania, mediation diplomacy and soft diplomacy are not luxuries. They are a necessity. They are ways to have a voice without having power, to be present without being aggressive, and to build trust in a world where trust is lacking.

The question that remains is whether Albania will seize this opportunity with patience and vision, or let it pass like so many others before.