British Foreign Secretary David Cameron will highlight how Albania has played a “key role” in tackling illegal migration to the UK during a visit to the country on Wednesday.
Lord Cameron is set to hold talks with Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama, President Bajram Begaj and Foreign Minister Igli Hasani while in the capital Tirana.
He will also announce projects to help Albania crack down on gangs that smuggle people across the English Channel and fuel drugs crime in the UK.
This will be through a joint programme to train Albanian judges to tackle money laundering, asset recovery and corruption, and through reforms of the country’s police force to better combat organised crime, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Lord Cameron will also visit a police command centre, launch a British cultural centre at a former mausoleum, and confirm that £4 billion ($5.5 billion) in UK export finance allocated for Albania could fund railway development in the country.
“Our partnership with Albania is delivering for both our people and playing a key role in tackling illegal migration," he said before the trip.
"Small boat arrivals from Albania to the UK fell by over 90 per cent in 2023, which means that fewer Albanians are falling into the hands of criminal gangs and making dangerous Channel crossings.
“Together we are reinforcing our partnership, strengthening European security, investing in the next generation of young people, building trade ties, and addressing corruption and organised crime to ensure that we build a stable and prosperous future for our countries.”
