The Regional Conference “Enhancing Local Capacity and Regional Cooperation for Effective Migration Management” was held on 19 November 2024, in Skopje. Organised by NALAS and supported by GIZ, the event gathered over 60 participants, including representatives from local governments, NGOs, policymakers, academics, and international organisations. It was part of the project “Exchange of Good Practices on Sociocultural Participation of People on the Move in Host Communities in the Western Balkans” and aimed to address mixed migration challenges in the region.

Keynote presentations by Gülay Uğur Göksel (Istanbul Bilgi University), Danica Šantić (University of Belgrade), and Eldan Mujanović (University of Sarajevo) set the stage by analysing migration trends, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Municipal representatives from Šid, Obrenovac, Hadžići, and Bihać shared local governance practices, emphasising coordination, social policy innovation, and inter-municipal cooperation while highlighting implementation challenges.

Interactive panels explored the implications of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. Experts such as Tiago da Cruz (From the Sea to the City), Tihomir Sabchev (University of Tilburg), and Ivana Milanović Đukić (Danish Refugee Council Serbia) discussed opportunities and constraints for local governments. Aleksandra Georgievska, international social inclusion expert, introduced advocacy roadmaps designed to enhance local capacity for social inclusion and migration management.

The conference successfully fostered knowledge exchange, highlighted best practices, and strengthened regional cooperation, providing actionable tools for local governments.

“We are inspired by the commitment of our participants to address migration challenges through collaboration and innovation. By uniting voices from municipalities, academia, NGOs and international organisations, we have exchanged invaluable insights and created actionable strategies to strengthen local capacity and regional cooperation”, said Iva Mihajlovska, NALAS Project Officer.

“This event reaffirmed the critical role of local governments in fostering inclusion and social cohesion, setting the stage for more resilient and compassionate communities across the Western Balkans. The outcomes will drive future efforts to ensure effective and inclusive migration governance”, concluded Mihajlovska.