The Sarajevo meeting paves the way for annual Donor Coordination Conferences in the Western Balkans
A two-day meeting on Donor Coordination in the Western Balkans was held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina under the auspices of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). Gathering nearly hundred participants from major donor countries and organizations, the meeting focused on the mapping and coordination of donor activities in the Western Balkans, particularly in view of the implementation of the SEE 2020 Strategy “Jobs and Prosperity in a European Perspective”
Naturally, regional cooperation was confirmed to be of vital importance for boosting effectiveness and developing capacities in the Western Balkans. A solid study, performed by and reported by Professor William Bartlett from the London School of Economics, on “The political economy of donor intervention in Western Balkans and Turkey: mapping and potential for stronger synergies” showed clearly the social inclusion and issues are under-funded in the region.
Furthermore, it was agreed that RCC would host an annual donor coordination conference for the Western Balkans which would provide not only for a better alignment between regional development priorities, donors’ sectorial objectives and the priorities set out in the SEE 2020 Strategy but also for a more efficient use of the available funding.
Also adopted was the proposal to develop a single regional donor coordination database that will contribute to better prioritisation of actions, both nationally and regionally, and will help align the donor interventions with the needs of the region.
