Partners

on: 18 Sep 2016

Swiss Cooperation Office in Kosovo

As Swiss Cooperation Office we have always worked hand in hand with local partners aiming to ensure development of local capacities as well as ensuring local ownership of our interventions. As soon as we have started our operations in the field of Economy and Employment we got in touch with the Riinvest Institute which was at that time almost the only local think tank that was active in the field of Economic Development. In almost all our stages of programme development we came across Riinvest, being it for the informative meetings or by using their research studies that always helped us to better understand the Kosovo context and its related trends.

Except that we have benefited a lot from the Riinvest’s Institute know how, we have also mutually agreed to start the joint cooperation in the year 2005. At that time Riinvest Institute, in cooperation with the Open Society Institute (OSI), has been implementing in Kosovo the project Delta (Developing Enterprises Locally through Action and Alliance). The aim of this project was human capacity building of municipal officials in designing and implementing strategies and local economic development projects in terms of creating a better environment for the development of economic activities in these municipalities. Around 5 municipalities have been supported at that time through our joint cooperation with the Riinvest.

In 2011 together with Riinvest Institute we have launched a report on Improving the Kosovo Serbian Business Community Involvement in Economic Activities in Kosovo. The purpose of the project was to generate a comprehensive framework and recommendations on how the stakeholders, can contribute to, support and improve business environment of K-Serbian business community in the Kosovo market. The research study investigated the actual situation of K-Serbian businesses, their potentials for development, barriers to development and the level of cooperation with other business communities in Kosovo. The research work and the report were prepared by the Riinvest Institute.

At the same time together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (MFAD) we have entrusted to the Riinvest Institute the implementation of the Facilitation Entity for the Horticulture Sector in Kosovo; a two year project that aimed at implementing a structured research and development in specific market chains or sectors to boost pro poor impact in the Horticulture sector. The whole intervention was done jointly with the key local stakeholders of the Horticulture value chains that led in developing a sound analysis, finding joint market opportunities and implement new products and innovative technologies that were increasingly used by the actors involved in the Horticulture sector.

At the moment we have a program that aims at creating employment opportunities in the private sector that is more dynamic and generates additional jobs and income opportunities. This project is implemented by Swisscontact and Riinvest Institute that work together under the consortium partner modality.

We appreciate a lot a good cooperation that we have had till now with the Riinvest Institute and are looking forward to a good and successful cooperation of the actual Promoting Private Sector Employment/ PPSE program but also to work with Riinvest in other endeavors. We would like to congratulate Riinvest for its work done till now, for being able to adopt its mandate towards development goals of the country and for providing a good quality service that has always been remarkable.

I would like to congratulate Riinvest to its 20th anniversary and I am looking forward to continuing an excellent cooperation.

Best regards,

Markus Baechler,

Country Director

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