Donors Pledge Millions to Kosovo Energy Sector

U.S. Coordinator of Assistance for Europe and Eurasia Daniel Rosenblum (left), World Bank Country Director for Southeast Europe
U.S. Coordinator of Assistance for Europe and Eurasia Daniel Rosenblum (left), World Bank Country Director for Southeast Europe Ellen Goldstein (center) and Kosovo Minister of Economic Development Besim Beqaj (right) address the donors’ conference.
Government of Kosovo

For Immediate Release

Monday, May 20, 2013

International donors came together in Pristina for a May 14th conference on sustainable energy for Kosovo. The conference was hosted by the Kosovo government in cooperation with the World Bank and the European Union.  The U.S. Coordinator of Assistance for Europe and Eurasia Daniel Rosenblum joined Joost Korte, EU Deputy Director-General of Enlargement, and Ellen Goldstein, World Bank Country Director for Southeast Europe, in pledging some $200 million to the development of Kosovo's energy sector.  The EU pledged $129 million, including $74 million to cover total costs of decommissioning Kosovo A.  The World Bank pledged $55 million, in addition to $4.2 million recently approved for environmental projects at the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK).  Rosenblum announced the United States' commitment of $15 million over the next five years for technical assistance, with an emphasis on supporting the regulatory and legislative framework.  In closing, Minister of Economic Development Besim Beqaj concluded sustainable energy was a precondition for Kosovo's economic development and renewed his government's commitment to all the elements of its energy strategy, including closing Kosovo A and investing in renewables and energy efficiency.  Officials from the Department of Treasury and USAID/Washington also participated in the conference.