Foreign ministers set to meet in London for summit

FOREIGN ministers will gather in London for a major summit aimed at boosting security and economic cooperation in the Western Balkans.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson announced funding to help identify 12,000 victims still missing from the conflicts of the 1990s as the former Yugoslavia broke up and a wave of bloodshed followed.

UK money will also help build digital skills and boost the employment prospects of youngsters in the six Western Balkan countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

A £10 million fund will see the British Council provide training for children in more than 4,500 schools across the region.

Some £1 million will help address the legacy of conflict, including work to find and identify missing victims.

Mr Johnson said: “This new funding demonstrates the UK’s enduring commitment to the Western Balkans region.

“We are working internationally to provide young people, particularly young women, with the digital skills necessary to participate in the future economy and fulfil their potential.

“Importantly it also shows our desire to help the region overcome some of the most difficult chapters in their history and pave the way to an even more prosperous future.”

The meeting of foreign ministers will be followed on Tuesday by a leaders’ summit hosted by Theresa May.

As well as the six Western Balkan nations, EU countries including Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Poland have been invited to take part.