Western Balkan Soil Partnership

Official Website

https://seerural.org/category/soil-partnership/

Governance

The Western Balkans Soil Partnership (WBSP) is in the process of formalisation; however, core governance and coordination functions are already being implemented through existing regional cooperation mechanisms.

At present, the role of a Steering Committee is effectively carried out by representatives of WBSP members from each country/territory (members of the Regional Expert Advisory Working Group on Soil), nominated by the respective ministerial partners. This body operates on a de facto basis, contributing to the coordination of activities, identification of priorities, and alignment with national and regional policies. It is expected that this structure will be formally established as the WBSP Steering Committee (WBSP SC), with a mandate to adopt the organisational structure, statutes, and work programme of the WBSP, and to ensure harmonisation with the European Soil Partnership and other relevant initiatives.

Similarly, while an Advisory Board has not yet been formally constituted, its advisory function is currently performed through consultations with selected regional and international experts, providing strategic guidance on governance, policy alignment, and technical priorities. The formal establishment of a five-member Advisory Board is foreseen in the next phase.

The appointment of a Chair will be formalised once the WBSP SC is officially constituted; in the interim, coordination responsibilities are shared among participating institutions.

A Secretariat function is already operational and carried out by the Standing Working Group for Regional Rural Development (SWG RRD), which hosts and supports WBSP-related activities within its organisational structure at its headquarters in Skopje, North Macedonia. Although not yet formally designated as the WBSP Secretariat, SWG RRD performs key roles, including:

• Collecting, managing, and disseminating relevant information, including maintaining communication channels and supporting visibility of WBSP-related activities
• Organising meetings, workshops, and stakeholder consultations
• Coordinating and providing an overview of ongoing and planned regional initiatives related to soils and land management
• Supporting monitoring and reporting on activities and progress

Through its longstanding experience in regional cooperation, SWG RRD actively contributes to:

• Strengthening collaboration among ministries, research institutions, and other stakeholders in the Western Balkans
• Implementing and coordinating regional projects related to agriculture, rural development and natural resource management, including soil-related components
• Promoting knowledge exchange, capacity building, and dissemination of best practices
• Supporting policy dialogue and stakeholder engagement at regional level

Regular meetings and consultations among participating institutions, experts and stakeholders are already taking place on an ad hoc basis, enabling the exchange of experiences, identification of needs and alignment of activities. While no fixed meeting schedule is yet defined, these interactions ensure continuity of coordination and provide a foundation for the future formal governance structure of the WBSP.

Contact

The Standing Working Group for Regional Rural Development (SWG RRD) is coordinating all activities.

Contact person for all inquiries regarding Western Balkans Soil Partnership:
Mr. Boban Ilic, Secretary General
Head Office/Secretariat of the SWG
 

E-Mail: swgsecretariat@swg-seerural.org

Countries

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia

History

Under the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, the creation of a sub-regional soil partnership was foreseen. Mediated by the project “Agriculture Policy Dialog Germany – Western Balkan”, that had been established under the Standing Working Group in South-Eastern Europe (SWG), a Regional Expert Advisory Working Group on Soil Management (REAWG) was set in place. The REAWG then prepared background papers, the communiqué and a roadmap for the creation of the Western Balkan Soil Partnership.

In November 2022 the Ministers of Agriculture from South Eastern Europe (SEE) and Heads of Delegation came together in Budva, Montenegro for the 16th Annual Working Meeting. During this meeting they signed the Communiqué/Memorandum of Understanding on the Soil Partnership of the Western Balkans.

Guiding principles

Guiding principles for this partnership are received from the following initiatives:

• the ‘Green Agenda for Western Balkans’ (GAWB), building on the Sofia Declaration 2020, and the Action plan for the implementation of the GAWB Brdo pri Kranju 2021, addressing the challenges to safeguard healthy soils for the Balkan region
• the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) tackling land degradation
• the Global Soil Partnership (GSP), its revised World Soil Charter and the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management