Written by: Fitim Adili

The following text offers ideas and proposals on ways to enhance cooperation between businesses in Kosovo and diaspora networks, aiming to expand their reach into international markets.

Starting a business in Kosovo that also serves international clients is not easy.

Especially before visa liberalization for Kosovo, obtaining a visa for an event, B2B meeting, or trade fair to present a product was very difficult due to many procedures. Fortunately, entrepreneurs from Kosovo no longer face this problem. Now, the path is open to penetrate all global markets.

What routes can a business from Kosovo follow to enter international markets? One of the most common ways businesses use is trying to gain international clients through connections with relatives in the diaspora. Often, a brother, sister, or cousin introduces Kosovo entrepreneurs to international clients. In some cases, migrants themselves become clients of their relatives in Kosovo, and because of their location abroad, they are considered international clients. This can later be used as a portfolio for Kosovo businesses, making it easier to gain clients of other nationalities such as German, American, and others.

According to statistics published by Albinfo, based on data from the Kosovo Statistics Agency, around 850,000 Albanians from Kosovo live worldwide. All these 850,000 could potentially be “ambassadors” of Kosovo in a positive light. If a new spirit developed, where each member of the diaspora took personal responsibility to promote Kosovo as a suitable place for investments, it would greatly facilitate the business process for entrepreneurs in Kosovo.

Visa liberalization has brought an increase in the movement of people and investors in recent years. What would further help is for influential individuals on social media to play a more active role, offering greater access for Kosovo businesses to foreign markets.

Influential People and the Importance of Personal Branding

There are many definitions of a brand. One is: the sum of all audience experiences with the company/product—image, reputation, trustworthiness. The same applies to personal branding, except it concerns a single individual.

In recent years, there has been a growing trend to leverage personal brands, and this opportunity would be very useful for Kosovars in the diaspora to promote Kosovo as an ideal place for investments. There are many influential people in the diaspora, especially in arts and music such as Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Bebe Rexha, or in the arts like Fadil Berisha. Many of them mention Kosovo in interviews or podcasts they participate in. If Kosovo continues to be mentioned more frequently, directly or indirectly, this would have an impact.

Useful Information is Key
Sometimes just one contact, information about a certain fair, or a business opportunity abroad can open many doors for Kosovo businesses. For this reason, it is very important for businesses to cooperate more, especially those in the same field. For example, if a business from Kosovo producing doors and windows has penetrated foreign markets, this shows that there is still room for more producers in that market. Here, it is essential for manufacturing or service businesses to cooperate among themselves, creating business networks first within Kosovo and then also with the diaspora, whether in the form of chambers, communities, organizations, or informal meetings to share ideas and collaborate.

Many businesses from Kosovo face difficulties in transportation. In this aspect as well, the diaspora can help by offering support in finding the best logistics solutions in cooperation with institutions in Kosovo.

Recommendations:

• Creation of Professional/Specialized Communities and Networks:
  Establishing communities and networks between Kosovo and the diaspora is very important for businesses in Kosovo, as well as for investors and diaspora networks. Communities focused on entrepreneurship would significantly help Kosovo businesses penetrate foreign markets. It is also important that these networks are specific and more professional (narrower in scope).
• Creation of a Connecting Platform:
  A platform linking diaspora businesses with those in Kosovo, as well as foreign investors with Kosovo businesses, would be a great help to all. The platform should include detailed information about the types of businesses, their capacities, and size, to facilitate investor decision-making.
• Improvement of Communication:
  Consulates and embassies should help promote Kosovo’s brand. Also, communication between diaspora networks and businesses in Kosovo, as well as between institutions and businesses, needs to improve significantly.
• Organization of B2B Conferences and Meetings:
  Frequent B2B meetings would help increase awareness and cooperation among businesses, as well as explore new opportunities.
• Utilization of Existing Platforms:
  Besides creating a new platform, existing platforms such as AlbanianYellowPages.com and Albinfo.ch should also be leveraged, as they offer access to diaspora networks.

Various platforms ease communication, such as the diaspora business network, mergata-info, or the Rrefim Suksesi platform.

This analysis was conducted with the support of the regional project “SMART Balkans – Civil Society for Shared Values in the Western Balkans,” implemented by the Center for Promotion of Civil Society (CPCD) in cooperation with the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), and the Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), and financially supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA). The content of this analysis is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).