Skopje, 6 September 2025 (MIA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski met Saturday with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as part of his working visit to Geneva.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the WTO Director-General welcomed the Government’s economic and trade policies related to foreign investments, the labor market, the openness of the economy, as well as the country’s alignment with the WTO Framework. 

Minister Mucunski said economic reforms are high on the Government’s agenda and underscored the country’s commitment to transforming the economy in accordance with the demands of the labor market and global trade markets. He stressed that attracting foreign investments is a high priority, especially in the field of energy, pharmaceuticals, defense and other areas where the country can demonstrate a high level of competitiveness.

“The Government’s strong engagement to attracting foreign investments, NATO membership, and the full alignment with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU are a confirmation that the country is a reliable partner and an attractive location for investments. This is bearing results through an increased volume of realized foreign investments and positive economic indicators in relation to exports,” Mucunski said. 

The Minister and the Director-General agreed that the integration of the Western Balkans requires a greater dynamic, since it would mean the realization of new strategic projects, greater inflow of investments, accelerated economic development of the countries and opening access to new markets for domestic companies.

At the meeting, Minister Mucunski also spoke about the new competencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, which is now responsible for the processes, policies and regulations related to foreign trade. In that context, Mucunski said the country’s active participation and heightened cooperation with the World Trade Organization will be one of the priorities in the coming period. 

Photo: MFAFT