Kosovo.

The last of the wars in the former Yugoslavia took place in Kosovo in 1998-9, though conflict here was strongly linked to the other wars in the region. Once more, ethnic divisions and a repressive and militaristic regime in Belgrade resulted in bloodshed and an eventual redrawing of international borders. The Kosovo conflict of 1998-99 includes fighting throughout this period between Serb-dominated security forces and the Albanian Kosovars, and also the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.

As with the other conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, bitter ethnic disputes and resurgent nationalisms were at the root of the violence. The 1999 NATO bombing brought an eventual halt to open fighting in Kosovo but the region remained in a dire situation. A large international presence, led by the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), has remained in Kosovo since this time to try and rebuild both the society and economy. How this international presence can eventually extract itself, and how long-term peace can be established, remains very much unknown.

Conflict profile

Background information and analysis of the conflict and political situation in Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008 but remains ethnically divided.

Peacebuilding organisations

Find information on peacebuilding and conflict resolution organisations working in Kosovo.

View Insight on Conflict – Kosovo in a larger map

Information on peacebuilding organizations in Kosovo is provided by Ian Bancroft of Transconflict, an organization undertaking conflict and post-conflict transformation projects and research throughout the Western Balkans.