\n Kosovo eyeing new tech era in partnership with Saudi Arabia, President Vjosa Osmani tells Arab News\n <\/p>\n
\n\tRIYADH:\u00a0Kosovo and Saudi Arabia can build on their already strong foundations of friendship through emerging cooperation in technology and innovation, President Vjosa Osmani told Arab News during a visit to Riyadh for the 9th edition of the Future Investment Initiative.<\/p>\n
\n\tAs world leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors convene in the Saudi capital this week for FII \u2014 widely dubbed the \u201cDavos of the Desert\u201d \u2014 Osmani said the event will \u201copen new chapters of cooperation\u201d between the two nations.<\/p>\n
\n\tKosovo\u2019s participation marks a valuable chance to forge business links, attract investment, and exchange expertise with the Kingdom, which she described as \u201cone of the global leaders when it comes to technology advancement and AI.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe feel very blessed with the bilateral relations that we have with Saudi Arabia,\u201d Osmani said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt is one of the countries that has supported the people of Kosovo during the darkest hour in our history, but also stood by us every step of the way while we were moving ahead as a country that lives now in freedom, independence, and prosperity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tSaudi Arabia was one of the first nations to recognize Kosovo\u2019s independence in 2008, following the 1999 NATO intervention and a period of UN administration \u2014 a gesture that remains deeply meaningful to Pristina.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThroughout the years we\u2019ve developed excellent relations because Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to recognize our independence, to recognize our struggle for freedom, and to support us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI believe that now this visit will only serve to open new chapters of cooperation and hopefully take this country-to-country relationship to new heights.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tFII, now in its ninth year, has become one of the world\u2019s most influential gatherings for global investment and innovation. Osmani said Kosovo\u2019s inclusion among participating nations feels like an honor and a recognition of the country\u2019s potential in the digital economy.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThere is an enormous potential that we can see here at the FII,\u201d she said. \u201cAlthough it\u2019s quite a young forum compared to so many world forums, it has been able to attract thousands and thousands of representatives, whether political or business representatives.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cAnd I think this kind of mix also allows us, as political leaders, to learn a lot from the business spectrum on how we can enhance relations and make sure that both the political and economic relations are at the benefit of the people that we represent.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cFrom what we\u2019ve seen, the FII is a place where the relations do not end at the forum but they continue right after the forum with many contracts signed, with many deals negotiated, and with many political relationships enhanced.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tKosovo, a young republic with one of Europe\u2019s most digitally literate populations, has launched an ambitious \u201cDigital Agenda Kosovo 2030\u201d (DAK 2030) to become a \u201cgigabit society\u201d powered by 5G connectivity, e-governance, and artificial intelligence innovation.<\/p>\n
\n\tOsmani believes that partnership with Saudi Arabia \u2014 which is itself expanding its AI and digital agenda under Vision 2030 \u2014 can be transformative.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe can see that Saudi Arabia is turning into one of the global leaders when it comes to technology advancement and AI in particular,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cGiven that Kosovo is the leader in our region for the second year in a row, the country with the highest IT competitiveness rate and a young population that is tech savvy, digitally and innovative \u2026 we strongly believe that there is enormous potential to attract foreign direct investment in this area to come to Kosovo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tShe added: \u201cFor many representatives here, be it political or business representatives, Kosovo might be an attractive destination for investment or business cooperation with our own local businesses.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe strongly believe that the development of technology and AI should be at the benefit of humanity \u2014 to make economic growth more sustainable, to find cures to many diseases, to make sure that education and health quality increase.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tOsmani also highlighted Saudi Arabia\u2019s longstanding support for Kosovo\u2019s Muslim-majority population, noting that around 1,500 Kosovars perform the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah each year.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe are grateful to Saudi Arabia for their cooperation in this regard,\u201d she said. \u201cThe people of Kosovo have had a very enriching and spiritual experience here whenever they came.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt has been one of the areas where the head of the Islamic community, our mufti, Mr. Ternava, has cooperated very well with Saudi Arabia and with your Ministry of Hajj.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019ve had visits from Saudi Arabia to discuss how we can enhance cooperation in this regard. And we\u2019re very grateful for their support, with the hope that we can increase that support in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tOsmani praised Saudi Arabia\u2019s \u201cincreasing role for peace and stability, not just in this region but in the world,\u201d in a nod to the Kingdom\u2019s mediation efforts in relation to Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine among other conflicts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tShe said Kosovo supports the Kingdom\u2019s leadership \u201cin making sure that they not only intermediated globally but also achieve success, because making sure that peace is present all around the world is one of the most noble missions that one can engage in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tFor Osmani, peace and stability are not abstract ideals but lived realities rooted in Kosovo\u2019s own painful history of conflict.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI believe (mediation efforts) do work,\u201d she said. \u201cWhile for some people, peace is something written on paper, for us it\u2019s about our lives.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe grew up as children of war. We had to undergo a genocidal war. And each generation, including that of our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, they all had to go through wars.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOur kids are the very first generation in the history of our nation that are living in peace. There\u2019s nothing more important than making sure that your child and all of the children in your country can go to bed at peace without the fear of war.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tShe added: \u201cWe will always be grateful to everyone around the world that has stood by us in saving our lives, initially liberating our country, and then making sure that we have the support that we need to rebuild from the ashes of war.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cNow we are a country that has recovered, a country that is blossoming, a country that is thriving economically, under the rule of law and international relations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tOsmani commended the \u201cefforts and the leadership of His Royal Highness (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman), in cooperation with the president of the US and so many leaders around the world,\u201d in reference to the recent ceasefire in Gaza.<\/p>\n
\n\tShe said that Kosovo \u201cfully supports these efforts because we understand how precious peace is and how blessed those nations who live in peace are, because that\u2019s the only way to achieve prosperity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tBeyond politics and investment, Osmani highlighted the importance of direct contact between the peoples of Saudi Arabia and Kosovo \u2014 through education, culture, and youth travel programs.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cYou are right that the people-to-people connections have always been strong,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need to find new ways for this relationship to blossom and to enhance further, whether in education, in culture or other areas.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThere is an enormous opportunity, and this is why I am here now \u2014 to make sure that we expand these opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tShe added: \u201cI will encourage (our young generation) to come and visit Saudi Arabia, and I would like to encourage the young people of Saudi Arabia to visit Kosovo. By meeting each other, by sharing ideas and experiences, this is how these relations are created.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tOsmani also extended an invitation to the Saudi leadership.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe would be so honored if His Royal Highness would also visit the Republic of Kosovo at his convenience, so that the people of Kosovo would have this opportunity to thank all of the leadership and the people of Saudi Arabia for standing with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tFor Osmani, investing in youth is key to keeping the relationship vibrant.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cFor two countries and two peoples to have excellent relations, you always need to involve the younger generation,\u201d she said. \u201cThey have the most energy and they can do the best of jobs in making sure that these people-to-people ties become even stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kosovo eyeing new tech era in partnership with Saudi Arabia, President Vjosa Osmani tells Arab News
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