Kosovo

Projects

Promoting Private Sector Employment

Kosovo has grown moderately at an average rate of 4% in the last few years (pre-COVID 19) and is constantly facing growing labour force, while the labour market falls short of generating the jobs needed to absorb the new entrants (around 30,000 annually). Formal employment makes around 75% of the overall employment, with public sector accounting for 25% of formal jobs. Youth, women, and minorities (particularly the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian) remain the most excluded groups. The COVID-19 pandemic did not spare Kosovo’s economy from its devastating impact.

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Swiss Entrepreneurship Program

The heart of any entrepreneurial ecosystem is the community of entrepreneurs themselves. The Swiss Entrepreneurship Program (Swiss EP) has incorporated this belief and supports building local startup communities bottom up by working with ecosystem leaders and builders since 2015. We do this by working with selected startup support organizations...

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Boost Employment: Continued efforts for labour market inclusion in Albania and Kosovo

After the successful 10-year intervention for the employability and economic integration of marginalized and youth groups - based on the “Coaching for Employment” methodology - Boost Employment Project brings Swisscontact’s support to labour market in Albania and Kosovo to another level.

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Fostering Employment and Growth Opportunities (FEGO)

The FEGO project aims to generate employment and income for women, men, and youth, presently living in poverty and socio-economic marginalization. The project seeks to reach sustainable and scalable growth of micro/small (family) business and start-ups, in three main sectors where the project is focused: apparel, furniture and rural tourism.

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Senior Expert Contact

Promoting entrepreneurship through expertise - Imparting technical skills through volunteer work Through their services, Senior Expert Contact (SEC) experts provide hands-on, direct support to companies and institutions in their efforts to grow.
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News

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06.11.2023

Continuous Support for Women Entrepreneurs in Kosovo

Kosovo officially became part of the Swiss Entrepreneurship Program in 2019. With a mission to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country, our team began exploring different ways and methods to facilitate local economic development. Four years later, we can say that working with women entrepreneurs is where the program has the most impact.

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26.10.2023

Sweet dreams and ambitions of a Kosovo dessert chef

Professional trainings in the confectionary industry equip women and girls in Kosovo with the latest techniques and best practices in the field. These trainings aim to empower them to start their own businesses, gain employment and improve their economic situation.

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26.06.2023

Modernizing vegetable seedling nurseries to empower farmers in Kosovo

In the quest for sustainable agricultural development, empowering farmers with modern equipment, techniques and resources is essential. One significant aspect of this effort is the modernization of vegetable seedling nurseries. These nurseries play a vital role in providing high-quality seedlings to farmers, which in turn leads to increased productivity and improved crop yields. In Kosovo, the support provided by the Promoting Private Sector Employment (PPSE), implemented by Swisscontact and Instituti Riinvest, is revolutionizing the agricultural landscape by supporting six seedling producers in different regions, modernize their vegetable seedling nurseries.

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Country Director Kosovo

Argjentina Grazhdani

Swisscontact in Kosovo

Swisscontact’s key objective in Kosovo is to strengthen the private sector, improve business conditions and create a dynamic labour market that offers job and business opportunities to all. The focus is on the unemployed youth, women, and minorities.

In Kosovo, Swisscontact works across several segments of economic life in the country, from supporting job creation in the food and natural ingredients and tourism sectors to supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition, Swisscontact trains coaches, enabling them to guide young people into the world of work.

This is done in collaboration with a broad spectrum of local partners from the government institutions, private sector, education institutions and business organizations.

Swisscontact’s work in these sectors is an essential part of Switzerland’s development strategy in the country.