Who is Who – Igli Hasani: An experienced diplomat who wants to see Kosovo in the OSCE

Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani, who is highly likely to be elected as the next Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), has extensive experience working with this organization, and he would gladly bring Kosovo into its membership.

Hasani, in his role as the head of Albanian diplomacy, has already served in the OSCE, so this organization is familiar to him. From October 2021 until his transition into the Albanian government, he was the OSCE Coordinator for Economic and Environmental Affairs.

This is also the highest position an Albanian has ever held in the history of the OSCE.

Before that, since 2018, he served as Albania's ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, including the OSCE.

During his ambassadorship, Albania chaired the OSCE in 2020. Thus, Hasani was not only the ambassador of the chairing country but also a member of the OSCE Troika from 2019 to 2021, which consists of the incoming, current, and outgoing chairs.

In the challenging year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, Albania, under the leadership of Prime Minister Edi Rama as the chair of the organization and Ambassador Hasani in Vienna as the chair of the OSCE's Permanent Council, had to adapt to the new situation. At that time, the OSCE operated continuously in a virtual format.

Despite this, the Albanian diplomat demonstrated skill, and at the Ministerial Summit in Tirana, the first to be held under pandemic conditions, in almost entirely virtual format and without the possibility of in-person negotiations, the Albanian chairmanship managed to secure a consensus for the adoption of 11 decisions, in each of the organization's dimensions of work, particularly in the areas of security, economic-environmental issues, and human rights.

Hasani is an outspoken advocate for Kosovo's membership in the OSCE and, during his ambassadorship, repeatedly lobbied for Pristina to become a member of this international organization.

At the most recent Ministerial Summit in Skopje, he clearly emphasized that Kosovo belongs in the OSCE.

"We all need to understand that Europe and the Western Balkans will be safe when Kosovo is safe. That’s why it is essential for Kosovo to come and take a seat at this table," Hasani said, once again lobbying for Kosovo's membership in the OSCE.

However, there has been no success in this endeavor so far, primarily due to the decision-making process in the organization, which requires consensus—something that is currently lacking.

Before his diplomatic career, Hasani held leadership positions in the Albanian Ministry of Defense, where he also served as Secretary General. He was also the Director General for Defense Policies and Director for NATO, EU, and Foreign Affairs.