Regional initiative rolls out in North Macedonia to boost early warning systems and disaster resilience in the Western Balkans

Building on its regional launch in 2025, a three‑year initiative to boost disaster and climate resilience in the Western Balkans is now being rolled out in North Macedonia. Focusing on Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia, and supported by the Government of Italy through AICS and implemented by UNDRR and partners, the project aims to accelerate a set of targeted risk‑reduction actions. These include improving risk knowledge and governance, strengthening early warning systems, and fostering transboundary cooperation.

Delegates convened in Skopje on 17 April 2026 to kick off national activities under the Initiative, with Mr. Muhammad Ali, Director of the Crisis Management Center of North Macedonia, highlighting that:

“On behalf of the Crisis Management Center, we reaffirm our full commitment to the successful implementation of this initiative in close cooperation with all partners, recognizing its importance for the citizens and the Government of North Macedonia. The initiative will strengthen the capacities of national authorities and stakeholders to develop early warning systems through improved risk knowledge and data, enabling more timely information and better‑informed decision‑making.”

H.E. Paolo Palminteri, Ambassador of Italy to North Macedonia, said:

“Italy has a long‑standing partnership with the Western Balkans in civil protection and disaster risk reduction. The Embassy of Italy in Skopje and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation are proud to support this regional initiative, which reflects our commitment to prevention, resilience, and European integration.”

The initiative gets underway as the region experiences a growing range of disaster‑ and climate‑related risks, including floods, earthquakes, wildfires, droughts, and extreme weather events. Europe is the fastest‑warming continent, and 2024 was the warmest year on record. Proactive risk management is therefore essential, and the project will bring together national disaster management authorities, local governments, civil society, regional organizations, and UN agencies.

“Recent disasters across the region have shown us clearly that risks do not respect borders, and our actions must therefore be equally interconnected, grounded in solidarity and shared responsibility,”

added Ms. Natalia Alonso Cano, Chief of the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia at UNDRR, who invited all partners to collaborate to make the Initiative a success.

Mr. Armen Grigoryan, UNDP Resident Representative in North Macedonia, noted that:

“In partnership with UNDRR, this timely initiative accelerates targeted risk reduction by strengthening governance, early warning systems, and transboundary cooperation across the region. In North Macedonia, UNDP is leveraging its experience in basin‑level preparedness and the National Donor Dialogue Platform to scale resilience from national systems to the local level, while advancing disaster risk financing and insurance pathways across the Western Balkans.”

Key focus areas include:

• Enhanced early warning systems through real‑time data platforms and disaster loss tracking
• Strengthened risk governance by integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate adaptation into national planning and financing
• Empowered local communities through strategic DRR planning and urban resilience initiatives

The project, titled Strengthening Transboundary Collaboration, Disaster Risk Reduction Capacities and Early Warning Systems in the Western Balkans, will run until 2028. Regional collaboration will underpin all areas, including leveraging the expertise of the Italian Civil Protection and aligning with EU mechanisms and accession criteria for coordinated disaster risk‑reduction strategies. This initiative marks a significant step toward a safer, more resilient Western Balkans.