Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

What Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs does

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (Ministria për Evropën dhe Punët e Jashtme) is the government ministry of the Republic of Albania responsible for the country's foreign policy, diplomatic relations, and consular services. Headquartered in Tirana and founded in 1912, the ministry operates a global network of 58 diplomatic missions — comprising 43 embassies, 7 permanent missions to international organizations (UN New York, UN Geneva, EU, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe, UNESCO), and 8 consulates general — delivering in-person consular services to Albanian citizens abroad and processing visa applications from foreign nationals.

Its technology infrastructure centers on a digital consular services ecosystem built around the Online Consular Service (SHKO) platform, integrated with the national e-Albania portal (e-albania.al), a dedicated e-Visa system (e-visa.al), and the citizen-facing "Ambasada Ime" portal (ambasadaime.gov.al). These platforms enable online applications for passports, citizenship acquisition/renunciation, civil status documentation (birth, marriage, death certificates), notary services, certifications, translations, and document legalization, supported by a diplomatic communications network linking all 58 missions to headquarters.

The ministry operates as a state entity funded through annual Albanian government budget allocations, supplemented by regulated consular service fees (tarifat konsullore) for citizens and visa fees for foreign nationals. Its strategic mandate encompasses EU accession pursuit, multilateral diplomacy (active memberships in UN since 1955, UNESCO since 1958, OSCE since 1991, Council of Europe since 1995, NATO since 2009), economic diplomacy, and diaspora engagement, currently led by Minister Ferit Hoxha and Vice Minister Vilma Premti.

Name

Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Legal name

Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Website

https://punetejashtme.gov.al

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is Albania's government ministry responsible for foreign policy, EU integration, and consular services, operating 58 diplomatic missions worldwide and delivering digital services through e-Albania, e-Visa, and the SHKO consular platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diplomatic and Consular Services

NAICS

International Affairs (92812), National Security and International Affairs (928), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAIAA

Diplomatic Missions & Embassies (Bilateral Relations)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Foreign Affairs & Diplomatic Services

SECONDARYBPAIAIAB

Consular Services & Citizen Assistance

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Foreign Affairs & Diplomatic Services

SECONDARYBPADAAAA

United Nations System & Specialized Agencies

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Multilateral & Intergovernmental Organizations

SECONDARYBPAIAIAD

Treaties, International Law & Boundary Affairs

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Foreign Affairs & Diplomatic Services

Keywords

• Diplomatic services
• Consular services
• Foreign policy
• International relations
• E-visa processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tirana

HQ country

Albania

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: Ministry operates as a government ministry funded through annual state budget allocations for foreign affairs operations, diplomatic missions maintenance, and international obligations
2. Consular Service Fees: Consular services generate revenue through officially regulated tariffs (tarifat konsullore) for Albanian citizens including passport applications, certifications, translations, legalizations, and citizenship services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is the government body of Albania responsible for conducting the country's foreign policy and managing diplomatic relations. It delivers consular services (passports, visas, civil status documents, citizenship, notary and legalization services) to Albanian citizens and foreign nationals through a global network of 58 diplomatic missions and digital platforms (e-Albania, e-Visa, Ambasada Ime). It also coordinates EU integration, multilateral organization participation (UN, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe, UNESCO), bilateral relations, and economic diplomacy.

Product overview

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs operates a digital service ecosystem comprising the Online Consular Service (Shërbimi Konsullor Online) as the core platform, which connects to the e-Albania government portal and e-Visa Albania system for visa applications. The 'My Embassy' (Ambasada Ime) portal provides citizen-facing embassy services, while a separate diplomatic representations portal lists all Albanian missions worldwide. These digital services handle consular affairs, visa processing, civil documentation, and diplomatic information for Albanian citizens and foreign nationals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shërbimi Konsullor Online (Online Consular Service / SHKO)

Quantifiable outcome

• Albania served as non-permanent member of UN Security Council for the first time in 70-year UN history (2022-2023)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WHO (World Health Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2020WHO Country Office established in Tirana in 1991. Albania co-sponsored COVID-19 response resolution at 73rd World Health Assembly. New biennial collaborative agreement signed November 2020 covering health services, emergency preparedness, COVID-19 response.
• EU (European Union)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2016Albania maintains Mission to the EU in Brussels. Albania is candidate country for EU accession. Negotiations ongoing under EU integration process. Albania aligns 100% with CFSP positions.
• Paris Climate AgreementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Albania signed Paris Climate Change Agreement on April 22, 2016, ratified July 14, 2016, and deposited instrument of ratification in September 2016. Albania is among 55 first states to undertake this step.
• NATOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Albania joined NATO in 2009. Albania maintains Permanent Representation to NATO in Brussels. Albania aligns 100% with EU Common Foreign and Security Policy positions.
• Council of EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 July 1995Albania became member on July 13, 1995. Albania signed and ratified 93 Council of Europe treaties. Albania chaired Committee of Ministers (May-November 2012). Albania benefits from EU-Council of Europe Horizontal Facility program (€4.75M phase 1, €25-41M phase 2, €7.8M+ phase 3).
• OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 1991Albania joined OSCE in June 1991. Albania held the OSCE Chairmanship in 2020, producing 11 decisions at the Tirana Ministerial Council. Albania maintains permanent mission at OSCE Vienna.
• ILO (International Labour Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Albania ratified 54 ILO Conventions including 8 Fundamental Conventions, 4 Governance Conventions, and 42 Technical Conventions. Albania ratified ILO Constitution Amendments in February 2020.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 1958Albania joined UNESCO on October 16, 1958. Albania elected to UNESCO Executive Board for fourth time (2023-2027). Albania has 4 World Heritage Sites and 2 Intangible Cultural Heritage elements. Albania chaired Committee of 1970 Convention on Illicit Trafficking (2017-2018).
• United Nations (UN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 1955Albania joined the UN on December 14, 1955. Albania served as non-permanent member of UN Security Council (2022-2023) and was re-elected to Human Rights Council (2024-2026). Albania maintains permanent missions at UN headquarters in New York and UN offices in Geneva and Vienna. Albania supports UN peacekeeping efforts with troop contributions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• OSCE Secretariat: Multilateral organization that Albania chaired in 2020, producing 11 ministerial decisions; relevant as the institutional counterpart that consumes and shapes the ministry's multilateral deliverables.

Broad incumbents

• European External Action Service (EEAS): The EU's supranational diplomatic service that Albania's ministry increasingly coordinates with during accession; serves as the structural counterpart that defines the long-term institutional endpoint of the EU accession trajectory.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria: EU/NATO member-state foreign ministry from Southeast Europe with comparable post-accession scope of multilateral engagement and consular service portfolio; useful as a same-region incumbent benchmark.

Regional players

• Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia: Recently completed the same EU accession journey Albania is pursuing; its foreign ministry offers a directly comparable institutional model and post-accession operating template for what an EU-member foreign service in the region looks like.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece: Neighboring EU/NATO member state whose foreign ministry engages Albania bilaterally and through regional frameworks; relevant as a same-region reference point for mission scope and consular service standards.

Direct peers

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo: Foreign affairs counterpart of the closest geopolitical neighbor, sharing diaspora, regional cooperation, and EU visa liberalization context, with broadly similar mission-portfolio size and digital consular services.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro: Foreign ministry of a small Western Balkan state that is a NATO member and EU candidate, offering a directly comparable mandate around accession negotiations and small-state diplomacy.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Foreign ministry of another Western Balkan EU candidate with comparable scale, EU integration challenges, and a mission footprint structured around EU/NATO objectives.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia: Foreign ministry of a similarly sized Western Balkan EU candidate country with parallel accession trajectory, NATO membership, and comparable scope of bilateral and multilateral engagement.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia: Larger regional peer in the Western Balkans operating a similar mandate across EU integration, multilateral organizations, and consular services — directly comparable institutional structure despite differing policy positions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AlbanianDiplo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDDn9tvI20lElkuITgnbkqg
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlbanianMEFA
• Instagraminstagram.com/albanianmefa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mepjal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs