Sofia Moreira de Sousa, a Portuguese diplomat and former head of the European Commission Representation in Portugal, has formally taken up her post as the European Union's new ambassador to Albania.

Moreira de Sousa presented her credentials to Albanian President Bajram Begaj on Wednesday, succeeding Italian diplomat Silvio Gonzato.

Her appointment comes as Albania advances its EU membership talks, with all negotiating clusters opened and three chapters provisionally closed, according to Moreira de Sousa.

"The path of Albania towards the EU has reached a decisive stage," she said, adding that EU membership was ultimately about improving the lives of citizens.

Begaj reaffirmed Albania's goal of joining the EU by 2030 and praised the bloc's political, financial and technical support for reforms, particularly in the justice sector.

Moreira de Sousa previously served for four years as EU ambassador and head of the bloc's delegation to Cabo Verde before taking charge of the European Commission's representation in Portugal in September 2021.