Kapetanović also participates in Central European Initiative Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, highlighting the importance of regional cooperation and European integration

Bucharest – Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Amer Kapetanović, met with Romania’s newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dan Neculăescu, during his visit to Bucharest today to discuss priorities of Romania’s current Chairmanship-in-Office (CiO) of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), continued cooperation between Romania and the RCC, and opportunities to advance shared regional objectives. Kapetanović also participated in the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Central European Initiative (CEI), hosted by Romania.

Kapetanović congratulated Neculăescu on his recent appointment and welcomed Romania’s active engagement as the current SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office. The two discussed priorities for the period ahead and opportunities to strengthen cooperation on sustainable development, regional connectivity, economic integration and resilience. As the operational Secretariat of the SEECP, the RCC will continue working closely with the SEECP CiO of Romania to support the implementation of its priorities and advance the region’s shared agenda.

“Romania has long been an important supporter of regional cooperation, and we welcome its active leadership of the SEECP at a time when our region needs both closer cooperation and concrete results. The RCC stands ready to work closely with Minister Neculăescu and his team to translate the priorities of the Romanian Chairmanship into practical initiatives that bring South East Europe closer together and strengthen its European perspective. We have a substantive agenda ahead of us, and our focus must remain on delivery,” said Kapetanović.

Kapetanović also expressed appreciation for Romania’s voluntary financial contribution to the implementation of the South East Europe 2030 (SEE2030) Strategy, highlighting its importance in supporting shared regional sustainable development priorities. The discussion touched upon ongoing and planned initiatives under the Strategy, including the Beyond GDP agenda, engagement with the private sector and development financing, and regional cooperation on disaster risk insurance and risk sharing.

Minister Neculăescu expressed Romania’s continued support for the RCC and its role in facilitating regional cooperation, emphasising the importance of close coordination during Romania’s SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office. He welcomed the RCC’s contribution to advancing shared regional priorities and expressed readiness to continue working closely with the organisation on initiatives that strengthen cooperation, stability and European integration across South East Europe.

During his visit to Bucharest, Kapetanović also participated in the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Central European Initiative, held under Romania’s 2026 CEI Presidency. Under the theme “Closer in the Region, Stronger in Europe”, the meeting brought together foreign ministers and representatives to discuss regional cooperation, European integration and shared challenges. Kapetanović highlighted the importance of complementarity between regional cooperation frameworks, including the CEI and SEECP, and their contribution to building a more connected, resilient and economically integrated Europe.