Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama added a personal touch to diplomatic proceedings on Wednesday as he presented Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with a scarf and serenaded her on her 48th birthday. The heartwarming moment unfolded at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, where the two leaders were attending to discuss global energy collaboration.

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Rama, known for his towering presence, went down on one knee to hand over the lightweight scarf, which he revealed was crafted by an Italian designer who had relocated to Albania. Adding to the celebratory gesture, he sang "tanti auguri" ("happy birthday" in Italian), drawing smiles from Meloni and others present.

🇦🇱🇮🇹 Albanian PM Edi Rama knelt before Italian PM Giorgia Meloni during their visit to Abu Dhabi, presenting her with a scarf as a birthday gift and referring to her as "Your Majesty".

He also tried to place the scarf over her head like a hijab. pic.twitter.com/QSqEuuBexM
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— kos_data (@kos_data) January 15, 2025

Despite their contrasting political ideologies—Meloni leads Italy's right-wing Brothers of Italy party, while Rama heads Albania's Socialist Party—the two leaders share a cordial working relationship. Their collaboration has extended to key bilateral agreements, including a controversial deal signed last year to transfer some migrants intercepted by Italy to detention centres in Albania. However, these centres remain non-operational due to ongoing legal challenges.

The summit also marked a significant milestone in trilateral cooperation as Italy, Albania, and the United Arab Emirates inked a €1 billion agreement to construct a subsea interconnection for renewable energy across the Adriatic Sea. The project aims to enhance energy connectivity and promote sustainable energy exchange between the countries.

Meloni, who has been vocal about strengthening ties with Albania, expressed optimism about the project, which aligns with the broader goals of transitioning to renewable energy and ensuring energy security in the region.

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