From 20^th to 22^nd of April 2016, the management of Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation (HSI) visited f projects of the Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation Office implemented in Kosovo. The delegation, led by the executive director of Helvetas Mr. Melchior Lengsfeld, visited the towns of Prishtinë/Priština, Gjakovë/Đakovica, Kamenica, Novo Bërdë/Novobrdo and Graçanicë/Gračanica.

Delegation of HSI Switzerland met with most important partners related to 3 projects HSI is implementing in Kosovo DEMOS, EYE and S4RE. The delegation met with officials from Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) Office in Kosovo including the director Mr. Patrick Etienne. SDC is funding the two projects DEMOS and EYE.  Among the visited partners of the three projects were Mimoza Kusari-Lila, Mayor of Gjakova; Begzat Sinani, Mayor of Kamenica; women groups engaged in tailoring company Er-Rosi and Arva; Malësia, a dairy and collection business established by remittances; a youth group, M-Net; Bonevet- as an innovative community center, as well as Prishtina Career Guidance Center, established recently by Municipality of Prishtinë/Priština.

This visit also included a round table meeting on economic development and governance with key informants from public and private sector, as well as other important stakeholders active in development, governance, and labour market issues.

Mr. Heini Conrad, Director of HSI Kosovo, emphasized the importance of this visit by high delegation from Switzerland as an evidence of continuous efforts by HSI and Swiss Government as well as rural development in Kosovo.

During the field visits, the delegation of Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation had insightful information on the progress and the social impact of Helvetas development projects in Kosovo, most notably with various services and programs that were designed to offer better solutions in managing municipalities, creating income and employment in various sectors.

Prishtinë/Pristina, 25.04.2016