On 9 and 10 December, Balkans Group organized the workshop: “Kosovo in regional initiatives: institutional framework and coordination”. The workshop was held in Tirana, Albania.
Within the framework of the regional cooperation pillar, Balkan Group has put forth its commitment to support the institutions of Kosovo on strengthening its institutional structure and coordination for regional cooperation.
This workshop has brought together government representatives, governmental officials/ contact points of regional cooperation organizations, Kosovo national staff at regional organizations and experts on the field, who are the main actors to push for the change
Kosovo needs a solid internal institutional framework and coordination for increasing its participation and representation in many regional cooperation organizations and initiatives. The existing structures do not suffice, especially when the regional cooperation agendas are continually expanding. Hence, during this two-day workshop, 9 and 10 December 2021, participants worked at identifying institutional roles, responsibilities, and a method of work, as well as manualizing the inter-institutional coordination for monitoring and implementing regional cooperation agendas and strengthening Kosovo’s overall standing in the regional fora.
The need to strengthen the institutional framework and coordination for increasing Kosovo’s participation in regional cooperation has been identified by the main findings of Balkans Group’s recently published series of reports. These reports focus on Kosovo’s standing in regional cooperation organizations and initiatives by identifying key challenges and providing a set of concrete actions to be undertaken:
– Regional Cooperation in the Western Balkans: Regional Economic Zone, “Mini-Schengen” and the Common Regional Market.
– Kosovo’s contested representation in CEFTA: A political and legal overview.
– Kosovo in Regional Initiatives: The Institutional Framework and Coordination.
– Kosovo’s Participation and Representation in Regional Organizations: Mapping the gaps and opportunities.
