18th Coordination Meeting of Regional Organisations - 17 September 2024, Trieste

• AII Permanent Secretariat
 
• Regional Organizations
 
• SDG

The 18th Coordination Meeting of Regional Organisations hosted by the Central European Initiative – Executive Secretariat in Trieste on 17 September 2024 witnessed the presence of high-level representatives from the Secretariats of regional organizations, such as the Adriatic Ionian Initiative, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and the Regional Cooperation Council. Special guests were the European Commission, the Regional School of Public Administration, and the Regional Anti-corruption Initiative.

 

In his welcoming remarks CEI Secretary General (SG) Roberto Antonione emphasized the importance of regional cooperation to promote European integration and sustainable development, and to address shared challenges. He highlighted the role of dialogue, concrete actions, and multilateral partnerships in fostering the challenges, which was also a focus of the meeting, and in strengthening regional stability and prosperity. “By pooling resources, knowledge, and expertise, we can create synergies that are greater than the sum of their parts.”, Antonione said. CEI Deputy Secretary General Nina Kodelja  - who moderated the meeting together with Lidija Arsova, CEI Senior Executive Officer in charge of Liaison with Member States and External Relations - echoed the SG’s words providing insights into the political - priorities of the CEI and the activities linked to fostering European integration, sustainable development as well as other activities in partnership with other international and regional organizations.

The agenda included a comprehensive exchange of views on best practices and possible collaborative actions in areas of mutual interest, particularly those aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and European Union cooperation. A special focus was put on good governance, given the need for strong institutions to implement the UN 2030 Agenda and establish closer links with the EU. Presentations covered the CEI’s ongoing EU-funded projects and those financed under the CEI Fund at the EBRD through the CEI Know-how Exchange Programme (KEP), and Technical Cooperation Programme, as well as a tour-de-table showcasing the activities of other regional organizations, and a view from the European Commission.

The key takeaway of the meeting emphasized that regional cooperation was crucial for European integration, sustainable development, and shared prosperity across sectors such as governance, connectivity, finance, and people-to-people networks through a holistic approach; it confirmed the will to further seek and work on opportunities for enhanced cooperation through joint projects; and expressed the need for ever more strengthened partnerships, not only to avoid duplication of efforts, and thus lead to meaningful progress for the region and the EU, but for a stronger collaboration towards transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance.

The Regional Cooperation Council offered to host next year's meeting in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.