“Over the last year a lot has happened in our cooperation programme which includes around 50 projects covering 4 different areas. Navigating through all of them is challenging and interesting at the same time. Together with my management team we provide guidance and steer the programme in the right direction. That means meeting both Switzerland’s aid policy and Albania’s priorities,” has said Swiss Ambassador Ruth Huber in an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News.

The Ambassador touched upon many aspects of the excellent relations between the two countries and speaking of the foreign policy and diplomacy she said: On the diplomatic front, I am very pleased that our two countries are fully aligned in our respective foreign policies especially regarding multilateral and international engagements. A highlight for me in the past months was to receive missions from Switzerland: Only two weeks ago the former Swiss President Alain Berset was in Albania to discuss his upcoming candidature for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe.”

Madame Huber pointed out that another common thread are the efforts of the two countries to support Ukraine towards a just and durable peace. “In February Albania hosted the Ukraine-South East Europe Summit – an important step in reiterating the region’s common goal of supporting Ukraine. Now, Switzerland is preparing for the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, continuing our joint efforts on peace building.”

A special part of the interview was dedicated to Switzerland’s broad support programme for Albania. “We plan our Swiss Cooperation programme with Albania in four-year cycles, and I arrived here just in time for the implementation of the programme 2022-2025. This is now nearing completion and we will start preparing for the next cooperation programme towards the end of this year.”

The Swiss Ambassador highlighted the support for civil society in Albania which, as she said, remains a key priority for Switzerland. She revealed that her country is preparing and launching soon a new programme, with the main aim to support civil society organizations, helping them to strengthen their institutional capacities.  According to her, another area, often underrated in development, is culture and arts. Culture allows to bring relevant and sensitive issues to society’s attention and to foster reflection and critical debate. “We just started a new phase of our Swiss Cultural Fund, which will enable young and emerging Albanian artists to realise their ideas.”

The Ambassador was pleased about a boom in tourism in Albania and the numbers are impressive. She said also in Switzerland there is growing interest for tour packages in Albania: this is facilitated by the presence of three direct flight routes with Zurich, Basel and Geneva. “However, it’s time to look into sustainability and make tourism sustainable. This means considering the balance between economic, social and environmental factors and matching demand with the supply capacities. Our Swiss experience in sustainable tourism is vast and we are glad to share with and bring to Albania some of our expertise and examples such as Swisstainable – sustainable tourism certification – and Alberghi Diffusi – a model originated in Italy that makes tourism a community experience.``

The Ambassador revealed that Early in 2024, at Ukraine’s request, the Swiss government decided to call for a summit on peace in Ukraine, which will convene on 15-16 June near Lake Lucerne. “Switzerland as a permanently neutral country is well positioned to be a mediator and to facilitate discussion on peace. So far over 60 countries have confirmed participation and I’m happy to see that Albania will be represented by President Bajram Begaj," said the Swiss Ambassador Ruth Huber in the following interview:

Albanian Daily News: Madame Ambassador it is now more than one year since we met for our last interview. It is also your second year at the helm of the Swiss representation in Albania. What are the highlights during this period?

Swiss Ambassador Ruth Huber: One year has gone by so fast. It’s been a dynamic period full of events whether in diplomatic engagements, our cooperation programme, and cultural activities.

On the diplomatic front, I am very pleased that our two countries are fully aligned in our respective foreign policies especially regarding multilateral and international engagements. A highlight for me in the past months was to receive missions from Switzerland: Only two weeks ago the former Swiss President Alain Berset was in Albania to discuss his upcoming candidature for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe. And late last year we had the mission of the Director for Emerging Markets of Switzerland Tourism exchanging with the National Tourism Agency and actors of the sector here in Tirana.

Over the last year a lot has happened in our cooperation programme which includes around 50 projects covering 4 different areas. Navigating through all of them is challenging and interesting at the same time. Together with my management team we provide guidance and steer the programme in the right direction. That means meeting both Switzerland’s aid policy and Albania’s priorities.

And at personal level I travelled a lot in the country, often with visitors from Switzerland and discovering many beautiful places.

- How do you assess the relations between Switzerland and Albania, across all levels?

- Our bilateral relations are as excellent as ever. Switzerland and Albania hold regular political consultations, align key international policies, and collaborate willingly on several fronts. For a full year during 2023 both Switzerland and Albania served together in the United Nations Security Council. We shared many priorities and our two delegations collaborated closely and provided a great joint contribution to the work processes of the Council.

Only a few days ago our foreign ministers met and exchanged on key issues including Albania’s EU integration process.

Another common thread are our efforts to support Ukraine towards a just and durable peace. In February Albania hosted the Ukraine-South East Europe Summit – an important step in reiterating the region’s common goal of supporting Ukraine. Now, Switzerland is preparing for the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, continuing our joint efforts on peace building.

We are looking into expanding economic exchanges and increasing trade volumes between our countries. The current levels of exchanges are good but remain modest and therefore there is potential to widen business and economic links.

- How is Switzerland’s broad support programme for Albania progressing?

- We plan our Swiss Cooperation programme with Albania in four-year cycles, and I arrived here just in time for the implementation of the programme 2022-2025. This is now nearing completion and we will start preparing for the next cooperation programme towards the end of this year.

What stands out to me is the change enabled in areas such as democratic governance, economy, and health. For example, we have established new Parliamentary education instruments, have improved the functions of municipal councils, boosted innovation in vocational education and increased employability of vocational students.

We also initiated direct cooperation with state institutions that are of crucial importance for the governance of the country, like the Central Election Committee and the Constitutional Court. In addition, we fostered new partnerships between Swiss and Albanian institutions and competence centers in vocational training, social services, Parliamentary services, and statistics.

Switzerland has a wide support in the economic area, for Albania’s macroeconomic stability, financial market, and business competitiveness.

Alongside this, in the health sector, we established a model for primary health care: home-based care which means services provided for the elderly and those at their homes. I am pleased that in January 2024 the government of Albania decided to adopt and expand our home-care model for the whole country! This positive political move will now also need to have the proper financial mechanisms in place so that people in need can receive their primary care at home.

For the first time in Albania, we supported major solar and wind energy projects. Diversifying energy sources is essential for Albania. Did you also know that three municipalities now have new public lighting that meets EU criteria for energy efficiency? Korça, Përmet and Berat have now successfully installed LED public lighting that greatly reduces costs and consumption. In addition, new infrastructure projects were launched recently on water and building standards.

Supporting civil society also remains a key priority for Switzerland. We are preparing and launching a new programme, with the main aim to support civil society organizations, helping them to strengthen their institutional capacities.

Another area, often underrated in development, is culture and arts. Culture allows to bring relevant and sensitive issues to society’s attention and to foster reflection and critical debate. We just started a new phase of our Swiss Cultural Fund, which will enable young and emerging Albanian artists to realise their ideas.

- Albania is going through a tourism boom. What is your assessment of this, and is there an increased interest in Switzerland?

- We are witnessing a boom in tourism and the numbers are impressive. Also in Switzerland there is growing interest for tour packages in Albania: this is facilitated by the presence of three direct flight routes with Zurich, Basel and Geneva.

However, it’s time to look into sustainability and make tourism sustainable. This means considering the balance between economic, social and environmental factors and matching demand with the supply capacities. Our Swiss experience in sustainable tourism is vast and we are glad to share with and bring to Albania some of our expertise and examples such as Swisstainable – sustainable tourism certification – and Alberghi Diffusi – a model originated in Italy that makes tourism a community experience.

And let’s not forget: waste management and untreated wastewater are still important to work on! In my travels but also in conversation with Swiss and international visitors this issue keeps coming up. Municipalities are now required to do more to tackle waste management and sanitation – and we are providing support for their capacities. The solution of course should not be only for tourists but above all for Albanian citizens and communities. Having clean cities and nature is an important element for the life of the citizens and it is a distinctive characteristic towards tourists.

- You mentioned democratic governance as one area that Switzerland prioritizes in its support to Albania. What do you view as key developments for Albania’s democracy?

- A proper, functioning democracy needs checks and balances, especially strong, independent legislative bodies. That is why our programme targets specifically the Parliament and municipal councils. It is encouraging to see Parliament’s functions restored again after a period of clashes and tensions. Both the plenary sessions and the specific commissions benefit greatly from the inclusion of the opposition, from dialogue and joint lawmaking processes. In fact, Albania’s democracy benefits greatly when the Parliament and municipal councils make laws through inclusive, participatory debate and joint agreements.

Another key development is the process of electoral reform. Our expectations based on OSCE/ODIHR continue to focus on recommendations from the last elections. One key recommendation called for a meaningful electoral reform. Again, here a comprehensive involvement and inclusion of all decision-making bodies – parliament, political parties, Central Election Committee and others – is necessary. In this regard, Switzerland is supporting CEC to digitalize its internal operating systems, aiming at more transparency and efficiency.

I am pleased to notice an overall progress the country is making towards European integration. The signs of fatigue, if any, are few and there is still a consensus among the Albanian people to press on with reforms and the EU accession.

- As the war in Ukraine continues, Switzerland is making efforts to find a road to peace. What are the aims of the Swiss government?

- Early in 2024, at Ukraine’s request, the Swiss government decided to call for a summit on peace in Ukraine. It will convene on 15-16 June near Lake Lucerne. The overarching objective of the Summit is to inspire a future peace process. It provides a platform for dialogue on ways towards a comprehensive, just and durable peace in Ukraine and aims at jointly defining a roadmap on how to involve both parties in a future peace process. Switzerland as a permanently neutral country is well positioned to be a mediator and to facilitate discussion on peace. So far over 60 countries have confirmed participation and I’m happy to see that Albania will be represented by President Bajram Begaj. / ADN