Strengthening Kosovo’s voice in global climate diplomacy
As global climate negotiations grow more complex and interconnected, Kosovo’s ability to engage effectively on the international stage becomes increasingly essential. Strengthening institutional expertise in climate governance, negotiation frameworks, and diplomatic practice is a key step toward ensuring the country can actively contribute to international climate processes and represent its priorities with confidence.
The Climate Diplomacy Training, held from 2 to 4 December 2025, brought together representatives from key Kosovo institutions for a three-day capacity-building programme dedicated to enhancing the country’s readiness for international climate negotiations. Organized by the German Climate Diplomacy Action Programme (CDAP) in cooperation with GIZ Kosovo, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, and delivered by the Centre for Multilateral Negotiations (CEMUNE), the training formed an important milestone in Kosovo’s climate and energy transition journey.
The programme was developed under the umbrella of the Kosovo–German Climate and Energy Transition Partnership, which aims to support Kosovo in strengthening its climate policy architecture, advancing its energy transition, and expanding participation in global climate platforms such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and the annual Conference of the Parties (COP). It assessed key results of COP30, which was held November 2025 in Belem, Brazil, and looked at a potential participation of COP31 , which will be held November 2026 in Turkey.
In recent years, through the support of the German Government, delegations from the Government of Kosovo have participated in three consecutive editions of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the world’s largest and most influential climate conference. This participation has offered Kosovo the opportunity to engage with global stakeholders, follow high-level negotiations firsthand, build networks with international partners, and observe best practices in climate governance, finance, adaptation, and mitigation. Notably, Kosovo also presented its Voluntary Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), demonstrating its commitment to aligning with global climate efforts despite its unique political context.
Representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Besart Kastrati, Senior Officer in the Department of the Americas, highlighted how the training reinforced the value of shared learning and coordinated engagement in strengthening Kosovo’s role in global climate discussions. As he noted, it served as “a powerful reminder of how knowledge-sharing and joint efforts can elevate local perspectives in our global battle against climate change,” while also preparing participants for future engagements such as COP31.
Throughout this training, participants engaged in interactive sessions exploring negotiation structures, multilateral climate agreements, and the dynamics of global climate governance. Practical exercises, tailored negotiation simulations, and real-case scenarios allowed participants to experience firsthand the strategic considerations and diplomatic skills required for impactful representation in international forums.
Offering a broader perspective on Kosovo’s climate diplomacy journey, Agim Mazreku, Energy, Environment & Climate Policy Advisor to the Government of Kosovo, reflected on how far the country has come in recent years. He noted that early engagement with the German Government helped ensure Kosovo’s unique position was understood within the global climate agenda, opening the door to its first experiences at COP.
“When we started our conversation with the government of Germany, back at the first Petersburg dialogue, our unique position in the global Climate Agenda was well understood, and thanks to the German government’s support, we as a country got to experience for the first time what it means to be at a space such as COP, where our common climate is negotiated. Although we still do not have a seat at the negotiation table we got in the spotlight through or voluntary NDC and when voices from COP-27 to COP-31 set the principle of Leave No One Behind, we replied back by saying back, that Kosova is not leaving you behind as we are undertaking ambitious climate measures and policies for a just transition”.
This visibility grew through Kosovo’s Voluntary NDC and its message of not being left behind in global climate action.
He also emphasized that the Climate Diplomacy Training further strengthened this progress by preparing institutions to speak confidently in international forums, noting that, “it is amazing to see my colleagues after three days of training to be ready to deliver Kosovo’s climate diplomacy narrative in any space and at any given moment.”
This initiative is part of broader support provided through the Kosovo–German Climate and Energy Transition Partnership, which works to enhance climate governance, strengthen strategic planning, and build the capacities needed to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of global climate action.