Sazan Ibrahimi

Sazan Ibrahimi is the long-standing Executive Director of the Association of Kosovo Municipalities (AKM), a position he has held since 2003. In this role, he represents all 38 municipalities of Kosovo, serving as a key advocate for local government interests at the national, regional, and European levels. Under his leadership, AKM has become a strong voice for municipal autonomy, fiscal decentralization, and good governance, while also developing into an essential partner for international donors and institutions.

Ibrahimi has extensive experience in municipal governance, decentralization, and local development. He has acted as a national advisor on the decentralisation process in Kosovo, contributing to the design and implementation of frameworks that strengthened the role of municipalities. Through AKM, he oversees more than twenty professional collegia, enabling municipal officials to exchange knowledge and coordinate sectoral policies ranging from education, health, and finance to urban planning and environmental protection.

Regionally, he plays an active role in NALAS (Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe) and cooperates closely with European institutions, including the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and the European Committee of the Regions’ Working Group on Kosovo. His efforts focus on aligning Kosovo’s municipalities with European standards, securing donor support, and promoting democratic local governance. Known for his strong, data-driven advocacy, Ibrahimi has become one of the most influential voices in local governance in South-East Europe, consistently working to ensure that municipalities are empowered to deliver better services and foster inclusive development for their citizens.