Kuala Lumpur: Kosovo, the landlocked Balkan country, is seeking Malaysian investments across a wide range of sectors including information and communication technology, renewable energy, as well as manufacturing, visiting Kosovo President Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu said today. Despite Kosovo’s small size, she said sweeteners to lure Malaysian investments included access to the lucrative consumer base in excess of 600 million people based on the country’s free trade agreements with the entire European continent.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr. Osmani emphasized that investing in Kosovo offers the same opportunities as investing across Europe, alluding to Kosovo’s efforts to consolidate its economy through foreign direct investments (FDIs) and build up its somewhat fragmented industrial and manufacturing sector. She pointed out that Kosovo boasts the youngest population in Europe, which is multilingual and tech-savvy, along with labor costs being much lower than in other European countries, making it an attractive destination for businesses.

During her visit, Dr. Osmani met representatives from the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) to discuss investment opportunities Kosovo offers to Malaysian businesses. Although no agreements were signed during the visit, discussions are ongoing and progress is being made. The Kosovian President mentioned that the first step would be to hold a joint economic forum with businesses from both countries to help identify key areas for a future trade agreement.

Osmani expressed her hope that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would visit Kosovo soon to help finalize these agreements. She also envisions a direct flight between the Kosovian capital of Pristina and Kuala Lumpur in the future, which would significantly ease communication and travel between the two countries, which established diplomatic ties in 2011.

Highlighting the appeal of regional tourism packages that include Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro, Osmani noted that these are gaining popularity among ASEAN tourists. She stressed Kosovo’s intent to increase its exports globally, including to Malaysia, particularly in the ICT sector, while also looking to expand exports in the food and energy sectors.

Trade between Malaysia and Kosovo last year amounted to RM28.55 million, with Malaysia’s exports valued at RM25.92 million and imports at RM2.63 million. Kosovo sees Malaysia and the broader ASEAN region as important new markets to explore.