Prishtina, January 30, 2025
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, today participated in the conference on the topic “National Resilience – Challenges and the Way Forward”, organized by the Ministry of Defense with the aim of sharing best practices and strengthening cooperation in facing common challenges.
In his speech, the Prime Minister emphasized that resilience and preparedness are state and national necessities.
“Resilience is our ability to anticipate, cope with and recover from any shock, be it natural disasters, deliberate acts against critical infrastructure or other challenges that put the citizens of the Republic and the sovereignty of the state at risk. This means not only responding, but also preparing for any possible situation, minimizing risks and maximizing the protection of our vital resources”, he declared.
In this regard, in recent years, important steps have been taken to strengthen our National Resilience, such as preparing the draft concept and then approving it in the Government in September last year, investing in strategic infrastructure, improving renewable energy systems and building capacities for emergency response to crises.
“We have initiated deep reforms in the defense and security sector, through sustainable military purchases, we have increased not only our readiness to protect the integrity and security of the country, but also the ability to prevent and recover from any shock. And in this regard, I believe that our national resilience has a deep historical tradition, so what we need to do in the 21st century and especially in this decade is to adapt this national resilience to our extraordinary technological advances of the 21st century and especially for state institutions to be synchronized both in the face of challenges and also internally with each other.” added the Prime Minister.
The Republic of Kosovo continues to coordinate and make all its efforts persistent towards NATO membership. Like NATO allies, the Prime Minister said that we are committed to the seven basic requirements for national Resilience by incorporating these requirements in the National Response Plan.
Prime Minister Kurti said that the four key pillars of resilience will be further strengthened prevention, preparedness, response and recovery from shocks.
“We will ensure that all our citizens have access to resources, training and support to build local resilience capacities. For us, a sustainable society is one that takes care of everyone – without leaving anyone behind”, concluded the Prime Minister.
Full speech of Prime Minister Kurti:
Honorable President, Your Excellency Mrs. Vjosa Osmani – Sadriu,
Honorable Minister Ejup Maqedonci,
Honorable Commander of the Kosovo Security Force, Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari,
Honorable Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Rozeta Hajdari,
Honorable Director of NALT, General Christian Nawrat,
Honorable Director of the Kosovo Police, Gazmend Hoxha,
Honorable military personnel of the Kosovo Security Force and the NALT Directorate,
Honorable participants, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon everyone! I am honored to be here with you today, at an important conference that addresses one of the most vital issues for our future – National Resilience and Civil Preparedness. I would like to thank the organizers, experts and all participants for your commitment to strengthening security and collective well-being. This commitment is the foundation that ensures that, despite the challenges, we can build a stronger and safer future for all citizens without distinction.
Today, more than ever, the world faces complex challenges – climate change, economic threats, technological risks and threats to national and global security. In this context, resilience and preparedness are no longer options that we can choose or select, but are state and national imperatives. Resilience is our ability to anticipate, cope with and recover from any shock, be they natural disasters, deliberate acts against critical infrastructure or other challenges that put the citizens of the Republic and the sovereignty of the state at risk. This means not only responding, but also preparing for any possible situation, minimizing risks and maximizing the protection of our vital resources.
Over the past few years, we have taken important steps to strengthen our National Resilience, where National Resilience is one of the main elements of Comprehensive Protection or total protection for which we have prepared by first drafting the draft concept and then approved it in the Government, in September of the previous year. This protection means preparing the entire society to face crisis and emergency situations and of course it also requires a higher, increasingly higher awareness and participation of citizens and continuous interaction between institutions and communities.
We have also invested in strategic infrastructure, improved renewable energy systems and built capacities for emergency response to crises. An important example is the support for strengthening our civil protection system and preparing local communities for unforeseen challenges. So, let us prepare for what comes to mind, but we must also get ready for what we do not think of right now. Moreover, we have initiated deep reforms in the defense and security sector, through sustainable military purchases, we have increased not only our readiness to protect the integrity and security of the country, but also the ability to prevent and recover from any shock. And in this regard, I believe that our national resilience has a deep historical tradition, so what we need to do in the 21st century and especially in this decade is to adapt this national resilience to our extraordinary technological advances of the 21st century and especially for the state institutions to be synchronized both in the face of challenges and internally with each other.
The Republic of Kosovo continues to coordinate all its efforts and make them persistent towards NATO membership. In this regard, Resilience, as defined by NATO, is the ability to prepare for, withstand, respond to and recover rapidly from shocks and disruptions. Strengthening Resilience is a national responsibility, but our efforts will undoubtedly strengthen the Alliance as a whole, as we not only aim to benefit from alliances, but also to contribute to them.
In the same manner as NATO Allies, we are committed to seven basic requirements for national Resilience, incorporating these requirements into the National Response Plan as lifelines:
The first is the guaranteed continuity of government and critical services. The second, resilient energy supplies and contingency plans for managing disruptions. The third, coping with uncontrolled movements of people and coordinating with first, second and third responders. Then, resilient food and water sources; the ability to cope with health crises and mass casualties; sixth, resilient civil communication and telecommunications systems; and seventh, safe and resilient transportation systems.
In addition, we will further strengthen the four key pillars of resilience: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery from shocks. The citizen of the Republic is at the heart of every decision we make as a government. Our goal is not just to react, but to build a society where every individual and every family feels protected and empowered to face challenges. If every citizen, school and business is prepared, we can avoid major losses and face every crisis with courage and effectiveness. We will ensure that all our citizens have access to resources, training and support to build local resilience capacities. For us, a resilient society is one that cares for everyone – without leaving anyone behind. There is no one, anywhere, ever, who is less important.
In these challenging times, our response must be a combination of determination and unity. This conference is a step towards building a future where all citizens feel protected, and our country remains an example of both resilience and preparedness.
Let us come together to strengthen our defense and preparedness, to invest in the future, and to build a society that not only faces challenges, but also overcomes them successfully.
I thank you for your commitment and I look forward to the ideas and suggestions that you will present today and share together, being expressed and affirmed in the public and in society.
I thank you for your commitment and also for the valuable contribution so far and for what we will give together in the future.
More photos from the event can be found at the following link: https://we.tl/t-P5Koh63JJ6
Last modified: January 31, 2025