Prishtinë, 1 September 2021 – Following the enforcement of the Memo of Understanding between the Ombudsperson Institution (OI) and the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS), yesterday, in the presence of both authorities’ heads, Mr. Naim Qelaj, Ombudsperson and Mr. Ilir Berisha, acting Chief of KAS, a workshop of the Working Group was held, established as a requirement of this Memo.

The aim of the workshop was to further strengthen mutual cooperation pursuant to the relevant legal mandates and in line of intensifying efforts to operationalize given Memo and institutional cooperation in the field of official statistics, in the function of accomplishment the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Development and use of statistical data, in order to assess and implement policies and programs that affect the observance and protection of human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, are among the goals of this Memorandum, drafted in conformity with the Resolution no. 06-R-001 of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo; with the Resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly “Transforming our World; 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A / RES / 70/1), as well as based on the respective international documents, within whose domain the role and mandate of the OI rests, actually of KAS.

OI and KAS are supported by the Office of Human Rights of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, respectively the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, in framing of the basis of this Memo of Understanding as well as the scope and the content of the collaboration. Representative from the UN / OHCHR Office in Kosovo was present in the workshop as well.