Albania and the United Nations

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Republic of Albania
United Nations membership
MembershipFull member
Since14 December 1955 (1955-12-14)
Former name(s)People's Republic of Albania (1955–1976)
People's Socialist Republic of Albania (1976–1991)
UNSC seatNon-permanent
Permanent RepresentativeFerit Hoxha

The People's Socialist Republic of Albania joined the United Nations on 14 December 1955, and has participated in several UN peacekeeping operations. The current Representative of Albania in the UN is Mr. Ferit Hoxha. Albania is a non-permanent member of the 15-country UN Security Council for the two-year term (2022–2023).

History[edit]

1955–99[edit]

After joining in 1955, Albania started to apply for membership in other organisations of the United Nations.[1] On 16 October 1958 Albania became a permanent member of UNESCO.[2]

From the 1960s onwards, the People's Republic of Albania under Enver Hoxha moved an annual resolution in the General Assembly to expel the "representatives of Chiang Kai-shek" (an implicit reference to the ROC) and permit the People's Republic of China (PRC) to represent China at the UN. Albania played an important role in the process of recognizing the PRC as "the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations" through United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, which was adopted on 25 October 1971.[3]

In November 1973 Albania joined the Food and Agriculture Organization.[4]

During 12–13 May 1990 the UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar visited Albania.[5]

In 1992 the Convention on the Rights of the Child was ratified by Albania, marking important progress on the human rights record of the newly democratic country.[6]

Evacuations in the Albanian capital of Tirana after Resolutions 1101 and 1114

In 1994 another resolution was prepared and introduced by the Albanian delegation to the UN, this time about the "Situation of Human Rights in Kosovo". Albania served as the main sponsor of the resolution, which was adopted with a clear majority of the UN membership. In 1995 the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Albania to the UN was elected Vice President of the 50th session of the UN General Assembly.[7]

After the 1997 rebellion in Albania, the UN adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution 1101 on 28 March 1997, after reiterating its concern over the situation in Albania. The Security Council established a multinational protection force in the country to create conditions to facilitate humanitarian assistance.[8] On 19 June 1997 after recalling Resolution 1101 on the situation in Albania, the Council authorized an extension to the multinational force in the country for a further 45 days, beginning on 28 June 1997 through United Nations Security Council Resolution 1114.[9]

2000–present[edit]

In 2005 Albania was elected for the first time a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, for a two-year term until 2007, and in 2012 reelected for the second time. In 2013 it also served as Vice President of the ECOSOC.[10]

During 2007–09 it was member of the Governing Board of the International Atomic Energy Agency.[11]

On October 21, 2014, Albania joined the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2015–17, and was elected vice-president of its Bureau for 2015.[12]

Ambassador Besiana Kadare presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2016, and since then has been the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations in New York.[13] On 27 January 2019, marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Kadare co-hosted together with the World Jewish Congress and the United Nations Department of Global Communications a conference titled "A Story of Humanity: The Rescue of Jews in Albania."[14][15][16] In June 2020 Kadare was voted a Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly for its 75th session.[17][18][19]

Albania was voted to become a member of the 15-country UN Security Council for a two-year term, in 2022–23.[20] Kadare said Albania's priorities in the Security Council will include a focus on women, peace, and security, promoting human rights and international law, preventing conflicts, protecting civilians, countering violent extremism, addressing climate change and its links to security, and strengthening multilateralism and the rules-based international order.[20] The election took place on June 11, 2021.[20][21]

Peacekeeping missions[edit]

Albania has participated in the following peacekeeping missions led by the UN:

Country Current Mission Organization No. of personnel
Georgia (country) Georgia UNOMIG United Nations 39 military observers[22]
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast UNOCI United Nations
Liberia Liberia UNMIL United Nations
Central African RepublicChad CAR, Chad MINURCAT United Nations 63 troops[23]
South Sudan South Sudan UNMISS United Nations

Representatives[edit]

Ambassador Besiana Kadare in the UN General Assembly Hall
No. Name
Term served
1 Gaqo Paze 1955 1958
2 Reis Malile 1958 1961
3 Halim Budo 1961 1970
4 Sami Baholli 1970 1977
5 Abdi Baleta 1977 1983
6 Justin Papajorgji 1983 1986
7 Bashkim Pitarka 1986 1992
8 Thanas Shkurti 1992 1994
9 Pëllumb Kulla 1993 1997
10 Agim Nesho 1997 2006
11 Adrian Neritani 27 April 2006 2009
12 Ferit Hoxha 5 August 2009 1 October 2015
13 Besiana Kadare 30 January 2016 1 October 2021
– Ferit Hoxha 26 October 2021 present[24]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Growth in United Nations membership, 1945-present". www.un.org. 6 August 2015.
  2. ^ "Albania | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". pax.unesco.org.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Winkler, Sigrid (June 2012). "Taiwan's UN Dilemma: To Be or Not To Be". Brookings Institution. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  4. ^ "FAO Member States and Dates of Accession to the Organization," FAO.org.
  5. ^ Binder, David (12 May 1990). "Evolution in Europe; PEREZ DE CUELLAR VISITS ALBANIANS". The New York Times.
  6. ^ "Ratification of International Human Rights Treaties - Albania". University of Minnesota Human Rights Library.
  7. ^ "Press Brochure", punetejashtme.gov.al.
  8. ^ "Security Council welcomes establishment of multinational protection force in Albania". United Nations. 28 March 1997.
  9. ^ "Security Council resolution 1114 (1997) on the situation in Albania". ReliefWeb.
  10. ^ "60 years Albania in UN | Albanian Embassy in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". www.ambasadat.gov.al.
  11. ^ "ALBANIA IN UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATIONS IN VIENNA | Permanent Mission of the Republic of Albania to the International Organizations Vienna". www.ambasadat.gov.al.
  12. ^ "Albania and the United Nations; 60 Years of Partnership" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Permanent Missions to the United Nations, No. 307". United Nations DGACM. 2019. ISBN 9789210479240. Retrieved 19 December 2019. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  14. ^ "'Leaders who sanction hate speech' encourage citizens to do likewise, UN communications chief tells Holocaust remembrance event". UN News. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  15. ^ "WJC and Albanian Mission to UN Held Special Briefing on Rescue of Albanian Jews During Holocaust". The Jewish Voice. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  16. ^ "Besiana Kadare: "A story of humanity: the rescue of Jews in Albania"". Albspirit. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  17. ^ Shkruar nga Anabel (1 July 2020). "Ismail Kadare's daughter is appointed vice president of the UN General Assembly," Anabel Magazine.
  18. ^ E. Halili (1 July 2020). "Kadare's Daughter UN Vice President, Meta: Good Opportunity for Albania," Albanian Daily News.
  19. ^ "Besiana Kadare elected Vice President of the UN General Assembly," Oculus News, 1 July 2020.
  20. ^ a b c Rudina Hoxha (April 2021). "Albania Bids for a 2-year Mandate in the United Nations Security Council; Exclusive Interview with Besiana Kadare". Trailblazing Magazine.
  21. ^ "Brazil, UAE, Albania, Ghana and Gabon win UN council seats". Federal News Network. 11 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Peacekeeping Contributor Profile: Albania". Providing for Peacekeeping. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  23. ^ Albanian MoD website Archived 11 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 22 February 2010
  24. ^ "Albanian Ambassadors to the United Nations - Permanent Mission of Albania to the United Nations - Official page of Albanian President". president.al. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
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