GPKT Municipal & Economic Development Activities

As part of GPKT Project activities, EWI has worked in co-operation with the four municipalities on developing joint action planning for cross-border work on economic development issues, recognizing this as a key component of sustainable conflict transformation. In addition, the GPKT Project is working to provide targeted support and facilitation of co-operation among the four municipalities and central-level governments on economic development and relevant policy issues, such as border management and cross-border trade, as well as capacity building.

In 2004, EWI facilitated the involvement of the European Stability Initiative (ESI) who undertook research and in 2005 produced the report ‘The development trap at the heart of the Balkans: a socio-economic portrait of Gjilan, Kumanovo and Presevo’ (ESI, July 2005).

Building on this work, in 2005, EWI funded the work of an expert team from INSAR Berlin to undertake an assessment of the cross-border development potential of the GPKT micro-region. Following field consultation and workshops with the four municipalities, the GPKT Integrated Development Policy Plan was launched in July 2005 at the GPKT Skopje Conference.

Since then, with the second cycle of the GPKT Project beginning in December 2005, EWI has increased its focus on this area of economic and municipal development. A new member of staff with specific experience and responsibilities for this area has been recruited, strategic meetings have been held, and in 2006 municipal representatives agreed a concrete action plan for joint activity [Integ. Dev. Reports 2 and 5].

EWI has funded the participation of several businesses in cross-border study tours or business fairs [Integ. Dev. Reports 1 and 3], but has focused mainly on implementing the points agreed in the action plan.

One of the key areas of work has been the GPKT Business Survey, conducted in late summer and Autumn 2006 [Integ. Dev. Report 4], through partnerships between EWI, the four municipalities and the Institute for Democracy and ‘Societas Civilis’ Skopje (IDSCS), the organisation contracted for technical advice and data processing and analysis. The survey covered several areas of information collection, and basic data on businesses has been published in a GPKT Business Directory, providing contact and sectoral information for nearly 700 companies, with the aim of encouraging greater trade and business development in this region. The information gathered on other topics, such as businesses’ labour needs and experience of cross-border trade, will be used in subsequent activities to support ongoing GPKT collaboration on local economic development from the cross-border perspective.

EWI has also been undertaking research work on cross-border trade, and the Guide for GPKT Traders was compiled by the Centre for Research & Policy Making (CRPM) and launched alongside the Business Directory in December 2006. The Guide aims to provide all the necessary information on basic systems, rules and regulations for cross-border trade for businesses in the GPKT micro-region, in addition to indications of potential business opportunities and notes of the appropriate sources for more detailed information as required in specific areas. Policy research work on cross-border trade in the micro-region is ongoing.

Both of these publications were launched at the cross-border GPKT Business Forum held on 15 December 2006 in Kumanovo, a networking event for local businesses and municipal representatives.