The Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Enver Hoxhaj, is staying in New York, where he attended the panel organized by the American Independent Diplomat Institute and the Consulate of Kosovo in New York in honor of the 10th anniversary of Kosovo's independence. The event was attended by Congressman Eliot Engel and many renowned world diplomats.
In his speech addressed to the participants, Hoxhaj said that in the past 10 years Kosovo has proven as a success story of statehood building from scratch. He talked about Kosovo’s achievements and challenges in its ten years of statehood.
“The first decade of statehood has resulted in a democratic, multi-ethnic and secular society. In the internal plan, state political institutions have been built, the basis for economic development and the preservation of macroeconomic stability have been established, numerous reforms have been made in other areas of life, ranging from education, health, justice to the environment,” said Hoxhaj.
Further, Hoxhaj also discussed about the second dimension of Kosovo's state building, emphasizing the importance of Kosovo's membership in the United Nations.
“The second dimension of state-building is Kosovo's integration into the international community and institutions, i.e., recognition and membership in international organizations. Today, there are 115 states that have recognized Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state, and there are 67 international organizations where Kosovo is a member. Kosovo has also established contractual relations with the European Union by signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement and implementing it, which is an important process for Kosovo's integration into the EU,” Hoxhaj continued in his speech, adding that these achievements as much as to the people of Kosovo, belong to the international partners of our country.
In addition, Hoxhaj listed two challenges faced by Kosovo in the international arena, even ten years after independence.
“Celebrating the 10th anniversary of independence and drawing a balance of what remains to be done, Kosovo needs strategic clarity for its future. Kosovo needs to address two challenges: first,completing its sovereignty through membership in the UN, a difficult but unstoppable process, and second, the country must move from the conclusion of state-building to the stage of building a developed society and economy that will enable Kosovo's membership in both the EU and NATO,” concluded Hoxhaj.
In addition to the Deputy Prime Minister Hoxhaj, the German Ambassador to the UN, Christoph Heusgen, andformer US Ambassador to the UN, ZalmayKhalilzad, also spoke at the panel. The panel was moderated by Al Jazeera's famous journalist James Bays.
Last modified: July 31, 2022