During World War I, France would occupy Southeastern Albania and created the Autonomous Province of Korçë, a French protectorate founded in 1916. The French would occupy this region until 1920 when they withdrew forces from the area.
Upon the end of World War II, France remained the only Western country where Albania had diplomatic and economic relations with, owing to Communist dictator Enver Hoxha’s French education. France was Communist Albania’s only nominal Western trading partner throughout the Cold War.[3]
As a European Union (EU) founder and member, France was one of the only countries that did not support Albania in its euro-integration path, until March 30, 2020.[4]