Luxembourg's development cooperation - Annual report 2014

In 2014, the final projects underway in Montenegro and Serbia have ended, thus bringing to a close nearly a decade and a half of cooperation with these two countries. In effect, following the opening of accession negotiations between the European Union and Montenegro (June 2012) and Serbia (June 2013), Luxembourg development cooperation has been gradually withdrawn, with the task falling under the remit of the European Union’s pre-accession assistance instrument, as part of the EU’s enlargement policy.

Luxembourg’s development cooperation in the Balkans will henceforth focus solely on Kosovo, with which Luxembourg signed a general cooperation agreement for collaboration for the 2013 to 2016 period. This agreement specifies a focus on the education/vocational training, health and water and sanitation sectors. Through collaboration with the local NGO, Fondation Kosovo-Luxembourg, the luxemburgish NGO Caritas is continuing to implement projects in social policy and community development. After long delays, the agricultural census, co-funded by Luxembourg’s development cooperation (via UNOPS), finally took place from 1 to 20 November 2014. The official results will be published in 2015. 

In Kosovo, 2014 was marked by the early legislative elections of 8 June and the ensuing political crisis, during which the various protagonists disputed the presidency of the parliament, thus preventing the formation of a government for six months. It was only in December that agreement was reached, due to a coalition between the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo. 

On 4 September 2014, in Pristina, the second mixed committee meeting was held between Luxembourg and Kosovo, during which the implementation of the various projects was reviewed.