Ilir Dugolli proposed as new Kosovo Ambassador to US, Gazeta Express has learned

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Gazeta Express

29/11/2021 19:15

Career diplomat Ilir Dugolli is expected to be appointed as Kosovo’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Gazeta Express has learned.

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ilir Dugolli have declined to comment on this issue. But Gazeta Express has learned from its sources that Dugolli has been proposed and most likely will be appointed as new Ambassador of Kosovo to Washington DC. Member of Parliament representing the opposition party of PDK, Ariana Musliu-Shoshi, confirmed to Gazeta Express that she has learned that Dugolli has been proposed as new Kosovo’s Ambassador to US.

Since March 2021 Valdet Sadiku carried out duties as charge d’affairs at Kosovo’s Embassy in Washington. But eight months later he returned home. “Today I say goodbye to friends here in the US, but I will forever carry with me the support and respect I enjoyed throughout. What an incredible honour to have served my country in Washington DC. US commitment to Kosovo is a true blessing!” Sadiku wrote on Twitter on 26 November. Currently the Ambassador’s position in Washington is vacant.

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gervalla, is expected to report Tuesday before the Committee on Foreign Affairs and MP Musliu-Shoshi said that she will ask the Minister about the new Ambassador to Washington.

Ambassador Ilir Dugolli joined Kosovo’s diplomatic service with the first group of appointments following Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence in 2008. From 2008 to 2013 he served as Kosovo’s Head of Mission / Ambassador in Brussels, covering Belgium, Luxembourg, EU and NATO.

From 2013 to 2016 he was Kosovo’s Ambassador to Sweden (non-resident for Norway, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Iceland), whereas between 2017 and late 2019 he was Director for Security Policies and NATO at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Between 2002 and 2004, he served as Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister in Kosovo’s first democratically elected government and during 2007-2008 negotiations for Kosovo’s status he was a legal expert to the Kosovo “Team of Unity.” Prior to joining the diplomatic service he was affiliated with the Law School and Political Science Department of the University of Prishtina.

He has been involved with various civil society initiatives, from being country representative of the Project on Ethnic Relations, to co-founder of KIPRED (Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development) and co-founder of D4D (Democracy for Development). He was also affiliated with the National Democratic Institute, European Elections Law Association, “Forum 2015”, the Kosovo-American Education Fund, Public International Law and Policy Group.

He studied law at the University of Prishtina and Central European University and was a fellowship holder of Yale University, Karl-Franzens University etc. /GazetaExpress/