Join Communiqué of the high-level Forum on durable solutions for displaced persons from Kosovo

BUDVA, 22 September 2015 - On the occasion of the OSCE-organized and UNHCR-supported High-level Forum on Durable Solutions for Displaced Persons from Kosovo, the participating institutions, led by Minister Dalibor Jevtić (Pristina), Director Marko Đurić (Belgrade), Minister Zorica Kovačević (Podgorica) and State Secretary Enver Husejin (Skopje), confirmed strong support for continuing inter-institutional co-operation and endorsed proposals for the scope and focus of future joint work to address the needs of those displaced.

The purpose of this meeting of the High-level Forum was to review progress since the Forum’s first meeting in Skopje in November 2014, during which participants issued a Joint Communiqué affirming their commitment to regional co-operation on durable solutions for displaced persons from Kosovo and establishing two co-ordination bodies to take such work forward.

Participants noted the work of the members of the Technical Working Group and the several meetings held since the inter-institutional process was launched in Skopje. In particular, the High-level Forum participants welcomed the Technical Working Group’s efforts and preparation of the documents for the Forum’s review.

The three documents formally endorsed by the High-level Forum today included: a Concept Note on Co-ordination and Planning, including guiding principles and reference to co-ordination mechanisms; a set of Priority Areas and Measures (e.g. Property Rights, Personal Documentation, Security, Dialogue and Reintegration), which constitute an agenda for the subsequent work of the process; and a Scope of Work for the Technical Working Group co-ordination mechanism. These documents provide a practical framework, and will now guide the next steps and subsequent, operational work of the participating institutions in their efforts to support durable solutions for displaced persons from Kosovo, including both returns and integration in place of displacement.

Participants noted the challenging context of their discussions on displacement from Kosovo, underlining that the current refugee/migration crisis places significant demands on the human and financial resources needed to address displacement. Noting the importance of fully using the ‘shrinking window’ of opportunity to provide durable solutions to those displaced from Kosovo, all participating institutions expressed commitment to strong and responsive co-operation to deliver timely results in practical terms.

Participants also wish to express their gratitude to the OSCE for organizing the meetings of this process, to the UNHCR and EU for their advice and support, as well as all to participants for their valuable contributions and continuing commitment.