On 4-5 May 2023, an Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII) meeting (under the current Chairmanship of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022/2023) on the mid-term evaluation of the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) took place in Banja Luka.
The meeting was addressed -inter alia- by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Βosnia and Herzegovina Mr. Emledin Konakovic, the Chairwoman of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ms. Zelika Cjivanovic, the Ambassador and Head of the Permanent Secretariat of AII in Ancona Mr. Fabio Pigliapoco, the representative of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), Mr. Amer Kapetanovićetc..
What followed next was a panel discussion (with the Ambassador at large -from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina- Mr. Milos Prica as Moderator) on solutions and challenges ahead with respect to SDGs’ implementation. Subsequently, representatives of the participating Member States of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiativepresented their national (at the central government level) and local (at the municipal or regional level) efforts to contribute to the achievement of SDGs.
The Greek representative (Mr. Loukianos Klint, Expert, HELLENIC AID) referred to a series of Greek achievements in the aftermath of consecutive crises (indicatively mentioning the increase in the use of renewable energy sources, the decrease in poverty and unemployment levels, the reduction of fatal car accidents and the increase in the percentage share of women in managerial positions in businesses), as well as to the national initiative regarding the GR-eco islands (Chalki, Astypalea, Tilos).
Regarding the localisation of SDGs, he stressed the emphasis of Greek municipalities’ relevant efforts on digitalisation, institutional reform and social coherence, highlighted the principal axes (economic, social and environmental) of the 2020 “Voluntary Local Review” of Skiathos Municipality and presented completed projects on “smart” cities in Greece, such as Patras (which is a sister city of Banja Luka), Ioannina and Konitsa.