On 13 May, the OSCE convened the first multi-stakeholder exchange between members of the parliament and national stakeholders from Albania and North Macedonia. Held on the shores of Lake Ohrid - a transboundary lake shared by both countries - the event brought together parliamentarians, government agencies, civil society, and academia to explore opportunities for strengthening cross-border co-operation and joint action on climate and environmental security.
Opening the event, Ambassador Bakyt Dzhusupov, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, underscored the importance of this first kind of a meeting, given the growing urgency of addressing environmental and climate-related risks in a transboundary context. "It is clear that shared risks demand shared solutions, and co-operation on shared challenges not only reduces risks but also builds trust and enhances good-neighborly relations. When parliamentarians and stakeholders come together across borders, they help identify common ground and generate momentum for joint action," he said in his opening remarks.
Ambassador Kilian Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, remarked: "What makes today particularly valuable is the mix of voices around the table - and that matters. It reinforces the importance of maintaining an open, practical, and inclusive bilateral dialogue among a broad range of stakeholders from Albania and North Macedonia".
Ambassador Michel Tarran, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, added that "effective responses to climate-related risks begin with strong governance at home and are reinforced through cooperation across borders". He highlighted that environmental pressures increasingly intersect with governance and security challenges, requiring stronger institutional co-ordination, parliamentary oversight, and local-level implementation.
Parliamentary representatives from both countries highlighted the need for stronger bilateral dialogue on climate and environmental security, as well as the importance of expanding this dialogue to the wider region. Notably, parliamentary officials included Mr. Toni Jarevski, President of the Inter-Party Parliamentary Group for Protection of Nature and Combating Pollution and Climate Change in North Macedonia, Ms. Anila Denaj, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development of Albania, and Ms. Ina Zhupa, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Culture, Tourism of Albania.
The exchange was enriched by contributions from stakeholders directly facing climate change impacts in their daily work, including directors of protected area administrations and national parks, such as those in the shared protected areas of Šar/Shar Mountains and the Korab Massif, as well as civil society organizations. Discussions centered on identifying key regional challenges that transcend borders including forest degradation, wildfires, illegal logging, biodiversity protection and sustainable management of natural resources, as well as priority themes of common interest.
Committing to continue this exchange, stakeholders from both countries also explored possible formats for future co-operation, including peer exchanges, thematic workshops, and study visits.
In closing, Ambassador Dzhusupov reaffirmed the OSCE's commitment to fostering regional dialogue on climate and environmental security, noting that this exchange demonstrates a clear commitment to continue this dialogue for a safe and sustainable future not only for Albania and North Macedonia but for the whole region.
The event was jointly organized and supported by the OSCE Mission to Skopje and OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.
Support was provided from the OSCE extra‑budgetary project " Strengthening responses to security risks from climate change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia ," implemented by OCEEA in partnership with adelphi and in collaboration with the OSCE field operations.
