The 10th Regional Conference on Security Coordination (“Jumbo”) opened today in Skopje, marking a decade of cooperation between the countries of the Western Balkans, Italy and the European Union for strengthening security and common stability.
Organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Interior of Italy and in partnership with the Government of North Macedonia, the conference concludes a 10-year cycle of a platform that has become a reference point for regional dialogue on security.
In the opening session, the Secretary General of the RCC, Amer Kapetanović, the Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia Arben Fetai, the Deputy Director General of Public Security in Italy Stefano Gambacurta and the Italian Ambassador Paolo Palminteri spoke.
“‘Jumbo’ is no longer a conference, but a network of trust. In a region where challenges vary, from organized crime to cyber threats, cooperation is the only path to common security,” Kapetanović emphasized, underlining that almost half of Balkan citizens feel safe in their communities, while corruption remains the number one concern for over 80 percent of them.
Deputy Prime Minister Fetai reiterated his country’s commitment to strengthening justice and regional cooperation, while the Italian representatives reaffirmed Italy’s support for the Balkan path towards security and European integration.
During the two days of work, delegates will discuss migration management, the fight against organized crime and corruption, as well as cyber resilience.
The conference marks a decade where the key word has been “together” – in security, in trust and in the effort for a more stable and more European region.
