Through an agreement signed today in Tirana between Swiss Ambassador Adrian Maître and Executive Director of the Western Balkans Fund, Dr. Gjergj Murra, the WBF receives Swiss funding to boost cooperation and increase exchanges in the region.
“To achieve peace, stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans, the first condition is that the whole region and its citizens cooperate, build bridges and exchange. The Western Balkans Fund adds value to regional cohesion and contributes to the EU integration”, said Swiss Ambassador Adrian Maître.
“We will cherish and treasure this partnership as very valuable. And I can assure you, that the Western Balkans Fund, representing the 6 Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Region, has all the will and motivation to be a serious and reliable partner in this process as we commit to our people-to-people approach in the region for the benefit of all”, said the Executive Director of WBF Gjergj Murra.
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, the Ambassador Dancho Markovski, – representing the chair of the Conference of Foreign Ministers which governs the Western Balkans Fund – said:
“We are thankful for this support, which indicated how steadily the partnership has grown in the Western Balkans Fund, to the point of transforming it into a long-term cooperation. On behalf of all 6 contracting parties, we assure our full commitment for the benefit of all people in the Western Balkans”.
Through this new agreement the Western Balkans Fund (WBF) will be enabled to strengthen its capacities, expand its projects, and increase people to people exchanges and ties in the Western Balkan region.
In addition to enhancing the Fund’s organizational structure and management, the Swiss support will go towards a more effective funding of common projects and initiatives in the region.
The support, in the amount of 950,000 CHF, will also enable WBF to proceed with the strategic plan for the upcoming 5 years.
