SPEECH/08/389
Olli Rehn
EU Commissioner for Enlargement
Matching political engagement with
concrete contributions - Donors'
Conference for Kosovo
Kosovo Donors Conference
Brussels, 11 July 2008
Dear Prime Minister, Ministers, Parliamentarians, EU Special Representative,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my great pleasure to welcome all of you today to this important event –
important for Kosovo, for Europe and for the international community. I appreciate
your readiness to participate and contribute to the socialand economic development
of one of the poorest regions in Europe, for the moment.
This conference is indeed a demonstration of our commitment to Kosovo's future. It
is a joint effort, which would not have been possible without your engagement. I
welcome the work done by the Kosovo authorities in preparing the Medium-Term
Expenditure Framework, as well as the important contributions of the World Bank
and the International Monetary Fund.
I also thank warmly all the countries present here today that have accompanied
Kosovo since 1999. I trust your commitment and continuing support will ensure the
success of our efforts in Kosovo. A special thank to Director Henrietta Fore, in
charge of US Foreign Assistance, for US sizeable contribution to our joint effort. In
fact for the past decade Kosovo and the Western Balkans as a whole have been an
example of sound and solid transatlantic partnership.
Before moving further, let me recall the context in which this initiative takes place.
In 1999, when Kosovo emerged from a devastating conflict, we organised a Donor's
Conference aimed at assisting reconstruction efforts. The issues we faced then had
to do with re-building houses and roads, helping people return and re-integrate in
their communities, providing humanitarian assistance. It was mainly a question of
providing food, clothing, medicines and immediate help for reconstructions.
In that context the European Agency for Reconstruction was set up and our
resources geared to help the area return to normality after its prolonged conflict and
deprivation. In the period between 1999 and 2007, Kosovo benefited from over 3.5
billion euros of reconstruction assistance. I am proud that the EU contributed about
two thirds of the combined effort.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to seize this opportunity to pay tribute to the invaluable work the Agency
did over those years, and praise its efficiency in effectively steering the process of
reconstruction. The European Agency for Reconstruction is truly a best practice for
EU's international assistance.
Today – thankfully - we face challenges of a different nature.
Kosovo has committed itself to a tall order of responsibilities. These include:
A high standard of protection for human and minority rights, including the rights of
Roma communities; This is one of the cornerstones of the plan presented by Martti
Ahtisaari.
Improving the socio-economic conditions for all people in Kosovo
Good governance through reinforced administrative capacity and sound rule of law
Protection of cultural and religious heritage; as well as
Promotion and development of regional cooperation and a commitment to peace
and stability in the region.
The international community cannot but welcome such commitments. Achieving
them across the region of the Western Balkans is a key priority for the EU and the
European Commission.
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have an ambitious objective today. Overall, we aim at reaching the amount of
one billion euros in donors' pledges in order to cover gaps in financial needs in the
years 2009-2013. We base this target on the needs assessment carried out by the
Kosovo authorities themselves, after a long and arduous exercise.
For the benefit of Kosovo's citizens, the EU is ready to pledge 500 m€i.e. half a
billion euros over the next three years based on inter-institutional talks and subject,
of course, to sufficient appropriations been voted by our budgetary authorities.
Our pledge today is an expression of our trust. But implementation remains an
outstanding issue. We are waiting to see the results. It is now up to the people and
institutions of Kosovo to live up to the expectations they have raised in the eyes of
the international community. I am aware that some international donors and many in
EU budgetary authority are concerned by Kosovo's absorption capacity. I had the
opportunity to discuss this issue in details with some MEPs this week in Strasbourg.
Kosovo's programme of development is based on an acceleration of their
investment programme. Some of these investments, such as those financed with
EU funds, will be implemented by donors themselves, therefore not placing a strain
on Kosovo's capacity to manage funds.
The Kosovo authorities are aware that they need to build up the capacity to manage
projects better. They have benefitted from assistance to improve their management
of funds, and the World Bank has been particularly active here. The EU has also
funded projects to improve Kosovo's public procurement framework.
I can assure you that all donors will monitor progress closely and make every euro
given out to Kosovo accounted for and put to good use. This means a major
responsibility for the Kosovo authorities. I trust they see that it is as much in their
interest than mine to ensure that the EU's Court of Auditors and the EP's Cocobu
are satisfied with the way the EU tax payer's money is used.
In any case, by putting half of identified financial needs on the table today, the EU
intends to demonstrate its ability to match political engagement with concrete
contributions.
Through the years of its existence, the European Union and its enlargement policy
have proven capable of encouraging reform across the continent. It has developed
a system of values and standards ensuring prosperity, stability and security within
its member states and beyond.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our commitment to Kosovo and the Western Balkans remains as firm as ever.
I want to underline that in December 2007, the European Council reaffirmed that the
future of the Western Balkans lies within the European Union.
Most recently last month, only a few days after the Irish No vote, the June
European Council recalled the EU's willingness to assist the economic and political
development of Kosovo through a clear European perspective, in line with the
European perspective of the region. It also expressed its support for the Donor's
Conference and encouraged bilateral and multilateral donors to pledge assistance.
The international representatives present here today share a common interest.
They want to see Kosovo advance quickly in its socio-economic development and
move away from being one of the poorest regions in Europe.
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In other words, this conference invests in improving the living conditions of all
people in Kosovo regardless of their ethnic or religious background. What we are
aiming at today is something very concrete: create the economic conditions for
growth, investment and for creation of jobs for all of Kosovo’s communities.
Funds should be directed, inter alia, to improving the conditions for education of
Kosovo’s children (where some schools currently operate 3 shifts per day).
They should be directed to develop Kosovo’s institutions to consolidate democracy
and rule of law and ensure good governance in a multi-ethnic society. They should
be directed to create a business-friendly environment for enterprises and for
investments in the infrastructure that will connect Kosovo with the rest of the region.
All such improvements are indeed key for peace, stability, liberty and democracy as
well as prosperity both in Kosovo and in the region. And this is an undisputed
priority, which can be achieved through vision, patience and determination.
Thank you all again for being here and I urge you to contribute generously to a very
worthy effort that can certainly make a difference for the better.
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