The seventh edition of the Macedonian Energy Forum 2024, organized by the ZIP Institute and the European Union delegation in partnership with the Open Society Foundations | Western Balkans on June 10-11, brought together key political leaders, energy experts, business representatives, and civil society to discuss the evolving energy landscape.
In his opening remarks, Andi Dobrushi, Director of Open Society Foundations | Western Balkans, emphasized, “The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is not merely a necessity but an opportunity to drive innovation, transformation, and prosperity in the region.” He highlighted the Open Society Foundation Western Balkan’s advocacy efforts to integrate the WB countries into the European Emissions Trading System as a strategic approach for a rapid and sustainable coal phase-out, urging a unified stance from regional governments.
“As we move towards a sustainable energy future, the availability of clean technologies, reliant on critical raw materials, is crucial” – Dobrushi added. He stressed that collaborative efforts with international partners are essential to securing a stable supply of these materials, with sustainable mining playing a central role.
Open Society Foundations | Western Balkans promotes an inclusive energy transition through community involvement, as demonstrated by the Sunny Schools Initiative, which installs photovoltaic infrastructure in public schools and fosters the creation of energy communities.
US Ambassador Angela Aggeler, EU Ambassador David Geer, and Prime Minister Designate Hristijan Mickoski also addressed the opening of MEF 2024.