Find out more

Hear a UK MP discuss development and security in Kosovo

Read a case study about community safety in Kosovo

Reports and briefings

Ready or not? Exploring the prospects for collecting illict small arms and light weapons in Kosovo, July 2009

Submission on the drafting of a Kosovo security strategy, June 2009

Through the cross hairs: A survey of changing attitudes towards small arms in Kosovo, November 2008

Policing in Kosovo, February 2008

Kosovo

What are the challenges in Kosovo?

In the late 1990s, Kosovo was the scene of violent ethnic conflict between Serbian military and Kosovo Albanian resistance forces, which ended with NATO military intervention. Following the war, Kosovo was governed by an interim UN administration (UNMIK), which remains in place. On 17 February 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence.

In December 2008, the EU rule of law mission, EULEX, was deployed. It is a civilian and technical mission charged with supporting the Kosovo authorities on rule of law - specifically on police, judiciary and customs.

The challenges in Kosovo include:

weak security institutions
limited contact between local communities and the security institutions
large numbers of illegal weapons that remain in circulation
inter-ethnic tensions
massive unemployment

What we do in Kosovo

With our partner, the Forum for Civic Initiatives and other local NGOs, we work to improve community safety, foster public debate on key security issues and make recommendations on security sector reform and development issues. We are working on a joint programme of activities under the name Safeplace which aims to:

provide research and recommendations on small arms control and security sector development

carry out periodic surveys of public perceptions on security

support international and local authorities to communicate and consult with local communities

undertake a conflict analysis to inform the work of security sector organisations

carry out community safety plans in several communities around Kosovo

develop a physical and online resource centre on security and conflict issues

build the capacity of civil society, the Kosovo Government and EULEX on these issues

News and activities

In July Saferworld launched a new report on people’s perceptions of small arms and light weapons in Kosovo, and on the opportunities and challenges for conducting voluntary weapons collections.

The report, entitled ‘Ready or Not? Exploring the prospects for collecting illicit small arms and light weapons in Kosovo’, aims to inform future weapons collection initiatives being planned by the Kosovo Government to accompany the introduction of the new law on weapons.

The report is available in English, Albanian and Serbian.

Download ‘Ready or Not? Exploring the prospects for collecting illicit small arms and light weapons in Kosovo’