The SDC and SECO used the opportunity to report on their current programmes in the domain of good governance in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia.

At the conference titled “The Western Balkans in transition – strong municipalities for sustainable development” the participants exchanged the views on the issues of decentralization, the improvement of governance and the promotion of the political participation, and in particular the ways of establishing efficient and reliable municipal public services. Amongst key speakers was Mirna Jusic, researcher at Analitika - Centre for Social Research, who participated in a panel dedicated to interaction between municipalities and central government, focusing on the engagement of citizens in decision-making processes and municipal affairs, and the results of  the project “Local Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Challenges and Prospects for Institutional Development“, implemented by Analitika during 2014/15.

More information on the conference is available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/deza/en/home/aktuell/agenda/jahreskonferenzen/jahreskonferenz-der-ostzusammenarbeit-2015.html

*photos, © Alexander Jaquemet