The Executive Director of the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia, Antoni Peshev, MBA, held a meeting with the Deputy Head of Mission of Switzerland to the Republic of North Macedonia, Michal Harari. The discussion focused on ongoing cooperation and opportunities for new joint activities between the two parties.

Director Peshev expressed gratitude on behalf of the Chamber for the longstanding partnership with Switzerland, which recognizes this 102-year-old business organization as a trusted partner in reforms, particularly in the education sector. Peshev highlighted the Education for Employment (E4E@mk) project, implemented with the support of the Swiss agency Helvetas. This initiative, along with others like IME and SIPPO, has significantly contributed to supporting the business and societal environment in the country.

Peshev pointed to a key outcome of these reforms, noting that owing to the decade-long E4E project, the number of companies involved in dual education has grown from 19 in 2019 to over 500 in 2024. Given the success achieved in vocational secondary education, the Chamber intends to extend these activities to higher education to ensure a workforce ready to meet market needs, which is vital for the business sector.

Mr. Michal Harari, Deputy Head of Mission of Switzerland, expressed appreciation for the collaboration and emphasized Switzerland’s continued commitment to supporting North Macedonia in areas such as education, the development of export capacities, the food sector, tourism, and green policies for environmental protection.