The acting Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade, and Innovation, Mimoza Kusari, addressed the importance of institutional support for women entrepreneurs during her participation in the women’s fair in Pristina.

Kusari highlighted several initiatives the Ministry has undertaken to support women in business and announced new efforts aimed at empowering and promoting women entrepreneurs.

"I would like to share some activities the Ministry has already carried out and others that we are planning for women entrepreneurs. In June, we successfully concluded a conference titled 'She Rises' (or 'Ajo Ngritet'), which attracted 300 women entrepreneurs. This conference addressed both the opportunities and challenges that women face in business today. We presented existing support mechanisms and upcoming initiatives, including the Credit Guarantee Fund, a dedicated window for women in entrepreneurship, and a grant scheme specifically for women entrepreneurs, which is currently under evaluation by the Ministry. Additionally, we will be continuing our support this fall with a regional conference for women entrepreneurs, which will include participants from the Republic of Kosovo and other countries in the region," said Mimoza Kusari.

The acting minister emphasized the need to create specialized spaces for promoting products made by women entrepreneurs and for supporting local production.

"It is essential to establish dedicated venues for showcasing products created by women entrepreneurs. We plan to incorporate specific provisions in the law or draft law on internal trade to support local production and foster women entrepreneurs," she stated.

While addressing the fair participants, Kusari expressed that the purpose of this initiative is to draw attention to women who are building their businesses.

Silke Bellmann, Deputy Ambassador of Germany to the Republic of Kosovo, shared her enthusiasm for attending the Women in Entrepreneurship Fair, emphasizing that Germany will continue to support women’s initiatives.

“Germany is proud to support this initiative through GIZ because we firmly believe that women’s economic empowerment is not only an issue of equality but also a smart investment in Kosovo. When women have equal opportunities to develop businesses, access jobs, and enhance their professional skills, everyone benefits. Businesses become more competitive, and communities become more sustainable,” said Bellmann.