Kosovo’s Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade, and Innovation (MINT) has officially entered a five-year strategic partnership focused entirely on accelerating the green transition within the country’s private sector.
The agreement launches the “Green Private Enterprise Transformation in Kosovo (GPEK)” project, which will run from 2026 through 2031. The bilateral accord was signed in Prishtina by the acting Minister of MINT, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, and the Swiss Ambassador to Kosovo, Jürg Sprecher.
1. The Financial and Institutional Framework
The GPEK project represents a highly collaborative international funding framework designed to modernise local economic structures.
- Total Financial Commitment: 8.78 million Swiss Francs (CHF) allocated as direct assistance over a five-year period.
- Primary Implementing Agencies: Executed jointly via the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
- Core Target Audience: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) operating within the domestic Kosovar market.
2. Strategic Objectives: Competitiveness and Climate Resilience
The overarching goal of the GPEK framework is to shift traditional industrial practices toward ecologically sound, resource-efficient business models.
The GPEK Sustainable Transition Model
[ 8.78 Million CHF Capital Inject ] ──► [ Institutional Framework (MINT / SDC / SIDA) ]
│
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
[ Technology Modernisation ] [ Resource Efficiency ] [ Market Integration ]
• Adoption of clean tech • Circular business practices • High European compliance
• Carbon footprint reductions • Lowered production waste • Stronger export capability
According to a public brief shared by Minister Kusari-Lila, the five-year roadmap prioritises two main pillars of development:
- The Adoption of Cleaner Technologies: Financial and technical assistance will be channeled directly into businesses attempting to integrate green machinery, renewable energy sources, and eco-friendly manufacturing infrastructure.
- Climate Resilience and Sustainability: Training and structural implementation of circular economic patterns to minimize material waste, lower carbon footprints, and reduce overhead energy costs for manufacturing plants.
3. Alignment with National Economic Priorities
The Ministry underscored that the implementation of the GPEK initiative aligns perfectly with Kosovo’s long-term macro-economic plans to harmonize domestic industries with wider European Union regulatory standards.
“The green transformation of industry and the economy is in full alignment with the strategic blueprints of the Ministry. This initiative will expand market access, create highly specialized job opportunities, and fundamentally strengthen the resilience of our private sector.”
— Mimoza Kusari-Lila, Acting Minister of MINT
By enhancing compliance with European green deal frameworks, the funding directly helps local Kosovar exporters overcome environmental regulatory barriers, paving a cleaner path toward international market integration.
