Speeches Shim
USAID's Transformational Leadership Program (TLP) produced a cadre of leaders working as agents for positive change in Kosovo. TLP scholarships were funded by the governments of Kosovo and the United States, providing educational opportunities for studies in the United States. After their graduation and return, the TLP Citizens Corps placed 169 TLP graduates of master’s degree programs in the public, private, and civil society sectors to provide professional volunteer services throughout Kosovo.
In response to recent worldwide challenges in public sector finance and private sector economic activities, the Kosovo Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conducted a virtual forum on May 22, supported by the USAID Economic Governance activity. Business representatives virtually joined the online conference to discuss the impact of response measures on public finances, as well as the future role of the private sector.
Before USAID’s Justice System Strengthening program (JSSP), courts in Kosovo accepted cases without doing a basic validity check to ensure that all core documents were included before filing. This led to many cases being stuck in courts for years, only to be returned later for lack of documents or payment of the court fee, causing significant delays in access to justice for Kosovo’s citizens. To address this, USAID, introduced a screening process to maximize efficiency, where clerks now screen each individual case to ensure that all requirements are met before assigning a case number, whi
Kosovo entered a new phase of dispute resolution as a result of public health restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In mid-March 2020, Kosovo reduced its court services, limiting in-person hearings to only detention and domestic violence cases. Thousands of citizens with civil disputes continued to need case resolution but were left in limbo. With support from USAID’s Commercial Justice activity, Kosovo courts began introducing online mediation as an alternative way to resolve disputes.
The global pandemic and resulting obstacles did not stop Kosovo farmers from applying for and receiving agricultural grants to support their work. Even with restrictive measures such as curfews and social distancing, USAID through the Agriculture for Growth and Rural Opportunities activity rolled out 10 grants to Kosovo farmers during the height of the pandemic, in support of expanded value chains. The grants targeted farmers working to expand and intensify production in the following value chains: blueberries, raspberries, medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), and vegetables.
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