Merkel urges Western Balkan countries to strengthen regional cooperation
September 14, 2021, 11:13 pm

Merkel-

The Xinhua reported, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday, Germany and the European Union (EU) encourage the Western Balkan (WB) countries to strengthen their regional cooperation.

Merkel told a joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama during her official visit to Albania: "Germany has its own interest in the membership of the WB countries in the EU, but another cooperation at a regional level is an idea that has been accepted by the EU and Germany."

The Xinhua news agency said, the WB countries were in different stages of becoming part of the EU, and were also part of the Berlin Process intergovernmental cooperation initiative, which was launched in 2014.

Merkel welcomed the Open Balkan initiative, which aims to replicate the Schengen zone's free flow of people, noting that "it is a cooperation that strengthens the Berlin Process."

According to the Xinhua, Merkel praised Albania and North Macedonia's progress towards EU accession, saying that both countries have fulfilled the criteria for membership negotiations, which had to be postponed following a veto from EU-member Bulgaria.

The German chancellor spoke highly of the bilateral ties between Albania and Germany, and Rama thanked Merkel for choosing Albania as the last stop on her tour of the Balkans.

Rama said that the 'Open Balkan' initiative is the "offspring" of the Berlin Process and the two initiatives do not contradict each other.

It should be mentioned, Merkel's visit to Tirana followed her visit to Belgrade, Serbia, where she said it was in the EU's strategic interests to integrate the Balkan states into the bloc, urging the countries to continue with the reforms.

While in Tirana on Tuesday, Merkel also met with the leaders of the other WB countries.

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”