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Diplomacy as a public service, not as a privilege

2026-02-18 22:46:46Pikëpamje SHKRUAR NGA IGLI HASANI
Diplomacy as a public service, not as a privilege
Igli Hasani

There are moments when a country must stop and ask itself not only what it is doing, but how it is representing itself. For Albania, one of these moments is today. Because the way we speak and act outside our borders is not simply a matter of protocol or image, but a reflection of the seriousness of the state and our ambition as a European country.

A well-functioning foreign service does not serve diplomats as a closed and privileged body, nor political parties, but citizens wherever they are, including the Albanian diaspora: the investments that come into the country, the jobs that are created, the security that is guaranteed, the economic interests that are protected, and the voice that Albania has at the tables where decisions are made that directly affect us.

The Foreign Service of the Republic of Albania is one of the most representative institutions of the state. Through it, trust is built, alliances are created, and long-term interests are protected.

This service has tradition and experience. There are diplomats who over the years have represented the country with seriousness and dignity, often in difficult circumstances. This contribution deserves respect and appreciation.

But the international reality has changed radically and diplomacy no longer develops according to traditional models. Today it is directly intertwined with security, economy, development, energy, migration and environment. In this increasingly demanding reality, Albania has taken on concrete and visible responsibilities on the international stage.

The experiences of recent years have made this tangible.

The OSCE Chairmanship in 2020, in a particularly challenging period, and our engagement as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council clearly demonstrated that Albania has the human capacity to face major diplomatic challenges. But they also highlighted something else: that the legal and institutional framework was built for a different, less complex and less demanding reality.

As the country enters the final phase of the European Union accession process, this need for change becomes even clearer. Diplomacy today requires in-depth knowledge and concrete expertise in areas that were not always at the center of the foreign service until yesterday: from internal EU policies to regulatory, economic and competition issues, including economic diplomacy, energy, environment and climate, or even geographical areas where we have traditionally not focused.

But above all, diplomacy today requires a new skill set. Deep and technical negotiation skills. Adaptability. Effective coordination. And the capacity to act and communicate quickly in an increasingly complex and changing international environment.

Albania is no longer a mere observer of international processes; it is an actor that truly contributes to the tables where decisions are made. This status requires institutional maturity and responsibility, as well as a diplomacy that produces content and results, not just a formal presence.

At this stage, Albania needs more substance than image, more influence than public exposure, and a diplomacy that goes beyond facade, use for internal consumption, and the logic of "business as usual."

The reform of the foreign service aims precisely at this: creating a system that functions better, rewards merit, encourages performance and seriously invests in professional training. A modern foreign service cannot be based solely on precedents or time in service, but must guarantee the alignment of professional capacities with the real demands of today's diplomacy.

The draft law reflects the reality of contemporary diplomacy, where foreign policy is no longer developed in institutional buildings, but is increasingly intertwined with other areas of state action. For this reason, it strengthens inter-institutional coordination, aiming for coherence and clarity in the representation of Albania's positions. A credible state speaks abroad with a single, clear and coordinated voice.

An important element of this reform is the establishment of the same standards for all, through regular and reliable professional evaluation. Not as a punitive measure, but as a guarantee of quality, reliability and fair development of the diplomatic career. In the absence of clear standards, neither performance nor accountability can be truly measured.

But a reform of the foreign service cannot rely solely on rules and evaluation mechanisms; it requires sustainable investment in the training of people. This is where the role of the Diplomatic Academy comes in, no longer as a sporadic training structure, but as a space where academic training, practical preparation and continuous professional development are combined. A modern foreign service is built through a public service culture based on knowledge, ethics and European standards, and the Diplomatic Academy should be the place where this culture is formed and consolidated.

Equally important is an asset that Albania already has: Albanian professionals who have been working for years in international organizations and multilateral institutions. A modern foreign service should be a serious and long-term alternative for them as well, putting their experience and knowledge directly at the service of the national interest.

No law solves everything with a single act. Reforms require time, committed leadership, continuity, and institutional responsibility. But they lay the foundations.

Because diplomacy is not built for a political moment. It is built for generations.

*Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Europe and Foreign Affairs


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