Albania’s Minister of Economy and Innovation, Delina Ibrahimaj, has called for stronger regional cooperation to help women entrepreneurs grow their businesses and access new markets.

She made the statement at the fourth edition of the regional conference “SHE RISES”, held in Pristina, Kosovo. The event brought together women entrepreneurs, government representatives and business organisations for discussions and B2B meetings. Kosovo President Justina Shiroka-Pula also attended.

During a ministerial panel on women’s entrepreneurship and regional economic cooperation, Ibrahimaj joined Kosovo’s Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Innovation, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, and North Macedonia’s Minister of Economy and Labour, Besar Durmishi.

The discussions focused on policies to support women in business, the role of technology in creating new economic opportunities and the benefits of closer regional partnerships.

Presenting Albania’s support measures, Ibrahimaj highlighted the start-up funding scheme, which gives additional evaluation points to applications from women entrepreneurs. She said the measure had increased the share of funding awarded to businesses led by women.

“Last year, 42% of start-up funding went to businesses led by women and girls, compared with around 28–30% in the scheme’s first years,” Ibrahimaj said.

She also noted that women account for 62% of labour market participation in Albania, placing the country first in the region in this indicator. However, women manage only around 31–31.5% of businesses. Although this figure is close to the EU average, it has remained almost unchanged for several years.

Therefore, Ibrahimaj stressed the need for additional measures to encourage more women to establish and manage businesses.

She also highlighted the role of technology and innovation in expanding opportunities beyond major economic centres. Digital tools can help women develop their businesses, reach new customers and build partnerships across borders.

Turning to regional cooperation, Ibrahimaj said the participation of ministers from Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia offered an opportunity to strengthen economic ties and launch joint initiatives.

She pointed to the Common Regional Market as a useful framework for reducing business costs and facilitating trade. She proposed extending this cooperation through a dedicated regional forum for women entrepreneurs, with representatives from each country meeting regularly to monitor progress.

As an initial step, she suggested mapping existing business associations, support programmes and funding opportunities across the region. She also called for each country to appoint representatives from its women entrepreneurs’ chambers.

The goal, she said, is to prepare a concrete action plan within one or two months to strengthen connections and cooperation among women-led businesses.

Furthermore, Ibrahimaj underlined the importance of reliable information and data in identifying business opportunities. She said technology could make it easier for women entrepreneurs to exchange information, establish new contacts and expand trade relations.

Organised by the Kosovo Women’s Economic Chamber, the “SHE RISES” conference aims to connect women entrepreneurs across the region, encourage the exchange of experience and develop new business partnerships.

Through its B2B meetings, the event also seeks to connect companies with financial institutions and other partners, opening new opportunities in regional and international markets.

/a.c/