On Thursday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama held a press conference to express his gratitude following a meeting with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. Rama thanked the president for the support he provided to Albania during a difficult time.

The Prime Minister recalled the aid offered by the UAE after the November 2019 earthquake. Rama recounted the moment he asked bin Zayed for help and the immediate support he received in response.

“Not as a sovereign seeking redemption, but as a brother who refuses to abandon his sick brothers in the shadows — walking with them through the valley of war, suffering, despair, extremism, and destruction — bringing not hatred, but something even deeper: the quiet power of compassion and the comforting assurance that they are not alone.

I will never forget that when I came to you after the devastating earthquake that left thousands of families homeless, you took my hand in yours and said: ‘Brother, you and your people are not alone.’ And today, a whole beautiful neighborhood with more than a thousand apartments stands as proof that you mean what you say and you say what you feel. As a soldier by profession and calling, you have chosen to be a brother-in-arms for peace,” Rama said during his remarks.