Leaders from the Western Balkans are set to attend the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, which opens on Jan. 19 and runs through Jan. 23, bringing together global political and business elites, economists, bankers, and experts for discussions under the theme “In the Spirit of Dialogue.”
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti is confirmed to participate, attending bilateral meetings with Swiss, European, and international officials, and will join the “House of Kosovo” panel on Jan. 20 to discuss democracy, security, and governance in the modern geopolitical and technological era.
From North Macedonia, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Deputy Prime Minister Bekim Sali, also Minister for European Affairs, will attend. The participation of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama remains uncertain, with no official confirmation from Tirana, while Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will be present, though largely as an observer rather than an active panelist.
The WEF in Davos is expected to host more than 3,000 participants from 130 countries, including 65 heads of state and government, 33 foreign ministers, 55 finance ministers, around 1,700 business leaders, and 11 central bank governors. High-profile attendees include U.S. President Donald Trump, Swiss President Alain Berset, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Mertz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The forum provides a platform for dialogue on global cooperation and policy coordination amid ongoing geopolitical transformations and regional tensions in Europe and beyond.