Prishtina, 3 January, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, welcomed today at a working dinner the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, Lord David Cameron, who is visiting Kosovo for the first time.
Accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz, Minister of Internal Affairs, Xelal Sveçla, Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, Minister of Communities and Returns, Nenad Rashiq, Chair of the Parliamentary Group of the VETËVENDOSJE Movement!, Mimoza Kusari Lila and Kosovo’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ilir Kapiti, Prime Minister Kurti gave a special welcome to Secretary Cameron in Pristina. He expressed his happiness that the year 2024 is starting with an important bilateral meeting with the friend, partner and close ally of the Republic of Kosovo, the United Kingdom, as he congratulated Secretary Cameron on his new task and the New Year 2024.
In the meeting, the value and importance of strong bilateral relations between the two countries was emphasized, while the areas and new possibilities of bilateral cooperation in the service of common interests and the strengthening of mutual relations were discussed.
Prime Minister Kurti informed Secretary Cameron of Kosovo’s progress and achievements, especially in the last three years, both in terms of economics and democracy and the rule of law. He spoke about the successes and challenges of 2023 and his and the Government of the Republic of Kosovo’s commitment to economic development in addition to fighting crime and corruption, raising the well-being of citizens through employment and appropriate social policies, and guaranteeing security and peace in the country in the face of aggressive and threatening behavior of Serbia.
He thanked Secretary Cameron for his contribution while he was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the continuous support that this country has given to Kosovo in liberation, independence, democratization, internal development and international integration, and now recently in increasing security along the border with Serbia with the landing of 200 British soldiers in October last year as part of the NATO mission in Kosovo.
Secretary Cameron expressed his gratitude for the hospitality in this visit, which, in addition to being his first in Kosovo, is also his first abroad for 2024. He expressed his pride in the support that the United Kingdom has given to Kosovo and the decision and attitude to recognize its sovereignty and independence. “I am here to reinforce the fact that we support you. We want to help you in terms of security, economic development, governance and all the issues you face. We have been long-term supporters of Kosovo and we will continue to be so,” he said at the beginning of the meeting.
This is the first visit by a UK Foreign Secretary to Kosovo since 2016. In Pristina, Secretary Cameron was accompanied by the UK’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Lord Stuart Peach, and the British Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott.
Last modified: January 5, 2024