The Bahamas has recognised Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state, becoming the fourth country to do so this year and raising the total number of recognitions to 121, Kosovo’s president said on Saturday.
President Vjosa Osmani said she signed a bilateral agreement on recognition and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis in the capital, Nassau.
“The Bahamas has recognised Kosovo,” Osmani said in a post on Facebook, calling the move “a historic decision for our country” and congratulating Kosovo’s citizens.
In a joint declaration, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Republic of Kosovo said The Bahamas had formally recognised Kosovo’s statehood and that the two countries had agreed to establish diplomatic relations with immediate effect, in line with international law and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The declaration said both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect for sovereignty, equality of states and the peaceful settlement of disputes. It added that relations would be developed on the basis of mutual respect, reciprocity and constructive engagement.
The two countries also expressed an intention to deepen cooperation in areas of shared interest, including political consultations, trade and investment, tourism, education and culture, technology and innovation, public sector cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, according to the statement.
Osmani said Bahamian Prime Minister Davis had described Kosovo as a partner that could rely on The Bahamas as “a reliable and stable friend.”
The Bahamas follows Syria, Sudan and Kenya in recognising Kosovo this year, after a slowdown in new recognitions in recent years. Israel was the last country to recognise Kosovo before that, in 2021.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia does not recognise Kosovo’s statehood and has consistently opposed new international recognitions of its former province.