always be ready to build strong partnerships with our closest neighbors this starts with the western balkans the decision 6 months ago to open accession negotiations with albania north macedonia was surely historical indeed. the future of the whole region lies in the european union we share the same history we share the same destiny the western balkans a part of europe and they're not just a stop over on the silk road we will soon present an economic recovery package for the western balkans focusing on him a number of regional investment initiatives and we will be there for the eastern partnership countries and our partners in the southern neighborhood to help create jobs and kick start the economies when i came into office i chose for the very 1st trip outside the european union to visit the african union and it was a natural choice it was a natural choice and it was a very clear message because we are not just neighbors but we are natural partners 3 months later i returned with my entire college to set out the priorities far nuestra that e.g. with africa it is a partnership of equals where

it's always a pleasure for me to discuss the western balkans. >> i knew that. >> we have seen some great of elements there. poses ationed, china threat in that region as well where they seek to divide these small countries from their western orientation. wewe do with all of europe, have been engaging to make them aware of the threat and challenge. the problems with chinese debt diplomacy. we focus on reciprocity and resilience. for us in the western balkans, as you are aware, we focus on helping all of those countries expand their western orientation . we have seen great success there. in northern macedonia, despite the virus this year, the 30th member of nato. prosperity begins with security. we think expanding the nato alliance to include those countries like montenegro as well has been a very positive step. the three c's initiative was developed by countries, a dozen countries in the central and eastern region, to provide alternatives in the north-south direction for trade and infrastructure. we have stepped into support the three c's. not as a member but as an interested partner. sec

problems with chinese debt diplomacy, we focus on reciprocity and resilience, and for us in the western balkans, as you are keenly aware, we focus on helping all those countries expand their western orientation. we see great success in northern macedonia of becoming, in spite of the virus, the newest member of nato. prosperity begins with security, expanding the nato and allen's -- alliance has been a very positive step. tos initiative provide alternatives in a north-south direction for trade and infrastructure, we have stepped in to support the three c's, not as a member, but as an interested partner. theetary pompeo outlined development finance corporation is offering up to $1 billion in matching investment funds for opportunities throughout that region. we continue to engage with them. you have seen the great strides made between serbia and kosovo in their long-term problem which has hindered the whole region by focusing on the economic side. through the great efforts of the white house and the special presidential envoy, bringing leaders together not to tackle the most difficult issues of r

today for us it's very important that we are going to have a unified economics old man a title western balkans which will bring us to the real economic result for the benefit and for the sake of all our people. i think absolutely this is a great moment for kosovo and for the region i think we need a huge step forward war for normalization of relations that should lead eventually to mutually good nation between the 2 countries we are fully committed to work together to improve people's lives create new jobs in the region and we fully believe in your administration we share the same values of freedom democracy and open market economy so we are looking for a start in the not interested even to soon as possible. well israel's prime minister binyamin that's and yahoo has welcomed the balkan nations decisions ari forces in west jerusalem and explains why what this means for israel. more recognition of jerusalem in israel's language is the capital of israel donald trump of course recognized jerusalem as the israeli capital in 2017 move the u.s. embassy here in 2018 so far only one other country has d

today for us it's very important that we are going to have a unified economic zone an entire western balkans which will bring us to the real economic result for the benefit and for the sake of all our people. are thinking absolutely this is a great moment for kosovo and for the region i think we need a huge step forward toward for normalization of relations that should lead eventually to mutually good nation between the 2 countries we are fully committed to work together to improve people's lives create new jobs in the region. we'll hear from our correspondents from al jazeera balkans in the region in a moment of me on a 1000 priests. but 1st to market so but there in belgrade says while the president is happy with the deal opponents are skeptical. the position here says that this document is not in the interest of serbia and it won't benefit serbia but it also just benefits president trump during his political campaign elections because it was mentioned that serbia will move its embassy from jerusalem to israel in kosovo we'll have some political ties with israel palestinian ambassador here

economic and government circumstances in the western balkans, does it make it particularly appealing for china? can you talk about what we are doing? what is our strategy to address china? >> as you know, it's always a pleasure for me. >> i do that. >> we have seen some great developments. as i mentioned in my remarks, as we discussed across the panel today, china poses a threat in that region as well, where they seek to divide these small westerns from their orientation, but we have, as we do with all of europe, been engaging to make them aware of the threat and the challenge, the problems with chinese debt onlomacy, and we focus reciprocity and resilience, and aware, as you are keenly we focus on helping all of those expand their western orientation. we have seen great success in northern macedonia, becoming, in spite of the virus this year, the 30th member of nato. prosperity begins with security. expanding the alliance has been a very positive step. by initiative was developed a dozen countries in the central and eastern european region to provide alternatives in a north-south di

signed to do for us it's very important that we are going to have the economics on an entire western balkans which will bring us to the real economic result for the benefit and for the sake of all people more now with marcos about a trial jazeera balkans in belgrade when the president talks there about a lot of differences still between us what is he referring to clearly an economic agreement is a good step but there are a lot of differences that. yeah there is a huge line of questions between belgrade and prishtina especially there is going process in brussels lasting for several years with negotiations between. politicians and any and politicians regarding the status of course regardless to death belgrade sees these agreement as a huge diplomatic success and this morning we could serbian president saying that it made momentous step forward not just in the relationship between serbia and kosovo but also. relations between. russia toward. the seat here keep political strategic event that serbian president signed something american president about this agreement it covers all political questi

asr many, t destination western europe, and getting there meant anotherur dangerous y, through the balkans, serbia, and bosnia. we are told that route is picking up again. theumr of people making the journey through the balkans is up 70% this year. our chief international correspondent has more from the northern greek city. >> the first rays of day, the first stirring beneath the burnt out carriages in this railyard in northern greece. these young men are mostly from afghanistan, waiting to jump on a train, jump at a chance to move further north into europe. a chance, the hope, at a better life. their next destination, greece'e border witnia. five years ago, thousands took this route through a tiny border village, a gateway to western europe through the balkans. look at these fields now. the border is shut. but migrants are now showing up iagainsmaller but growing numbers. e thn were jty pushback border guards in north macedonia. we came acro an afghan family waiting in the sunflowers, a sixth time to sne through. lcome has goli cold in this le village. >> [speaking foreign language] >> i

quite a russia showers in sioux fronts pushing down across the alps easing into italy and the balkans some western weather coming through here could cause some localized flooding must again pressure pushing over towards craze the best of the sunshine is going to be further east over towards ukraine into that western side of russia come back towards the west there's a line of rain that will make its way across england temperatures in london take back to around 18 celsius and 40 by the time we come to thursday temperatures and higher than around 15 degrees so something like a $910.00 degree drop in temperatures seen on recent days that's a wetter weather that windy weather the autumnal whether it will continue to push its way further south with temperatures falling away just about everywhere actually some wetter weather there as you can see making its way back into northern italy southern parts of france adding to the flooding problems that we have seen in recent days cross the maid it's not too bad lots of warm sunshine as is the case too across northern parts of africa further south the show is co

northern spain through france particularly heavy across the line of the alps and again into western sections of the balkans that will continue to work its way eastwards on suffered a very heavy rain across much of germany but not just that yet we are in old sim but look at this some winds us now are developing and in fact in the next couple of days we could have 70 some to me says of new snow of snow in september extraordinary thank you jenny. still ahead here on al-jazeera can world leaders get the climate crisis back on the u.n. agenda or is opportunity for a change slipping away. and then sports return to run. along is a good space in for a new cd set of his formula one combating. corruption it is the invisible behind a wall of silence. this. corruption is not something to be told and it. is going to african. country he said. let's destroy this wall. in 2020 the free space on which encourages the heroes who are fighting against corruption this helps our communities to save the resources that we need in order to address the burning problems that affect us and. shine a light on the anticorruption here. no

the western side of the mediterranean through spain and portugal and as elsewhere as you can see is the can very very messy still rather stormy around central parts pushing through italy and the balkans croatia all without want to push right down into bosnia right the way down to greece because see some wetter weather as you go through the next couple of days further west the ridge of high pressure over england and france producing a little bit of dry weather a window of dry weather should we say still going to last for long either west of weather there that's because it's in the making its way across france into the low countries those storms 2nd to make their way across the balkans and still rather wet into southern parts of italy as we go on through monday and showers gradually push away over towards remain the air that will continue to ease further east which as we go on through choose day what to weather coming into the crate clear skies has that wind or a dry weather across france slightly better for the tennis but not great it has to be said fine in try for the most part across a good part of the british isles but more wet and windy weather is making its way in for the middle