Security Sector Development in Post-Conflict : Kosovo
Marjamäki, Johanna (2016)
Marjamäki, Johanna
2016
Master's Programme in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research
Yhteiskunta- ja kulttuuritieteiden yksikkö - School of Social Sciences and Humanities
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2016-03-23
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201604201441
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:uta-201604201441
Tiivistelmä
The security institutions and policies in Kosovo have been controlled and shaped by the international actors since the end of the Kosovo war. Due to the large amount of actors with differing objectives, as well as the problematic relationship with Serbia and the unresolved status of Kosovo, the security sector has suffered from the lack of systematic institutional development.
This thesis looks into the transformation of Kosovo's security sector in the post-conflict period from 1999 through early 2015. The central focus of the study is on how the international community first took over the ownership and management of the security institutions and how it was later gradually transferred to the local community. The objective here is to point out the potential pitfalls and structural inefficiencies of the policies that have steered the security sector's development process.
The analytical part of this thesis consists of three sections, which all mark a certain period of time. During the first phase (1999-2005) the first Kosovo security institutions, including the Kosovo Police, were established. The demilitarization efforts of the KLA, and their implications, will be dealt with as well. The second phase (2005-2008) looks into the initial handover of the responsibilities from the international community to the Kosovo Government and the third phase (2008-2013) concentrates on the new security sector architecture introduced following Kosovo's declaration of independence.
The observations made suggest that the international community has failed in providing sufficient support for the local community to develop transferable skills in security management. On one hand the international community has managed to stabilize the situation quickly by taking over all institutions, but on the other, this has crippled the Kosovars as they are not prepared to run them on their own. The recent Security Sector Review paves the way for a presentable transformation, but it is clear that the Kosovars are no longer willing to let the international community dictate how the security sector is structured, managed and resourced.
This thesis looks into the transformation of Kosovo's security sector in the post-conflict period from 1999 through early 2015. The central focus of the study is on how the international community first took over the ownership and management of the security institutions and how it was later gradually transferred to the local community. The objective here is to point out the potential pitfalls and structural inefficiencies of the policies that have steered the security sector's development process.
The analytical part of this thesis consists of three sections, which all mark a certain period of time. During the first phase (1999-2005) the first Kosovo security institutions, including the Kosovo Police, were established. The demilitarization efforts of the KLA, and their implications, will be dealt with as well. The second phase (2005-2008) looks into the initial handover of the responsibilities from the international community to the Kosovo Government and the third phase (2008-2013) concentrates on the new security sector architecture introduced following Kosovo's declaration of independence.
The observations made suggest that the international community has failed in providing sufficient support for the local community to develop transferable skills in security management. On one hand the international community has managed to stabilize the situation quickly by taking over all institutions, but on the other, this has crippled the Kosovars as they are not prepared to run them on their own. The recent Security Sector Review paves the way for a presentable transformation, but it is clear that the Kosovars are no longer willing to let the international community dictate how the security sector is structured, managed and resourced.