Fifteen years after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Management of the Extended Transboundary Drin Basin, the 10th Drin Stakeholders Conference took place from 2–4 June 2026 in Struga, North Macedonia. Representatives from Albania, Greece, Kosovo*, Montenegro and North Macedonia, together with European institutions, international financial institutions, development partners, civil society and regional experts, gathered to assess progress and chart the way forward for the basin.

The Conference marked a milestone in the evolution of the Drin cooperation process. Established through the Drin MoU in 2011, it has grown into one of the most advanced examples of transboundary water cooperation in South-Eastern Europe. Supported by the GEF-funded GEF Drin II Project, the Conference advanced implementation of the Drin Strategic Action Programme (SAP) while aligning regional efforts with the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, the EU Water Framework Directive and the emerging EU Water Resilience Strategy.
Opening the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of North Macedonia, H.E. Aleksandar Nikolovski, set the tone:

"This year marks 15 years since the signing of the MoU for the Joint Management of the Drin River. In the next phase, negotiations will begin on a joint international agreement for the management of the Drin — a strong commitment that will further strengthen mechanisms for the protection and sustainable use of resources in the Basin."

Riparian representatives reaffirmed their commitment to the SAP and to deepening regional cooperation. Ms. Krenare Salihu, Advisor to the Minister of Environment of Kosovo, noted that the White Drin is the country's most important river and that Kosovo is committed to transboundary cooperation for its protection. Ms. Xhemi Jaupaj of Albania's Water Resources Management Agency stressed that SAP implementation is closely linked to Albania's national priorities and its EU accession process. Mr. Ylber Mirta, Head of Water Sector in North Macedonia, described the SAP as the basin's most comprehensive collective vision — a practical roadmap built on genuine consensus that balances regional priorities with national needs. Mr. Milo Radović, Director of Montenegro's Adriatic and Danube Management Unit, underlined water's role as a cornerstone of economic development and public health, and the critical importance of international cooperation. Ms. Eva Alexopoulou of Greece's Ministry of Environment called the Drin Coordinated Action proof of a decade of structured environmental diplomacy.