The 10th Regional Security Coordination Conference (“Jumbo”) opened in Skopje on Tuesday, bringing together ministers, senior officials and security experts from the Western Balkans, Italy and the European Union to mark ten years of regional cooperation on shared security and resilience.
Organised by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) with support from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Italian Ministry of Interior, and in partnership with the Government of North Macedonia, this year’s conference celebrates a decade of the region’s key platform for security dialogue and coordination.
Opening remarks were delivered by RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović, North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister for Good Governance Arben Fetai, Italy’s Deputy Director General of Public Security Stefano Gambacurta, and Italian Ambassador to North Macedonia Paolo Palminteri.
Kapetanović said the conference had grown into “a living network of trust” over the past decade. “Together, we have built the region’s most reliable platform for dialogue on security and resilience,” he said, adding that cooperation remains the only viable path toward safety and stability amid emerging threats such as organised crime, corruption, and cyber risks.
He also cited findings from a forthcoming RCC SecuriMeter survey showing that while nearly half of Western Balkan citizens feel safe in their communities, more than 80% view corruption as a major concern – a sign that citizens demand stronger accountability and leadership.
Fetai reaffirmed North Macedonia’s commitment to regional cooperation in justice and home affairs, while Gambacurta and Palminteri underlined Italy’s continued support for the Western Balkans’ security and European integration.
During the two-day conference, participants will address migration management, organised crime, corruption, and cyber resilience in three parallel working groups, concluding with a plenary session to present outcomes.
Marking its tenth anniversary, the “Jumbo” conference remains a cornerstone of regional efforts to strengthen coordination, share best practices and bolster the Western Balkans’ contribution to a safer and more stable Europe.