EWMI NEWS:
SEPTEMBER 2008
EWMI LAUNCHES PROJECT TO IMPROVE SECURITY IN KOSOVO

In the wake of Independence, the role of the international presence in Kosovo has decreased, leaving Kosovo’s fledgling government with the challenge of managing security in a multi-ethnic state. In September, USAID awarded the East-West Management Institute, Inc. with a grant to launch a project that seeks to improve security in Kosovo at the municipal level by reactivating and strengthening the Municipal Councils on Safety in Communities (MCSCs). The MCSC Project will build trust between citizens and elected officials, and between Kosovo Serb and Albanian communities by providing mechanisms and resources for them to work together to improve life and security through more effective participation in municipal and central government decision-making processes. The Municipal Councils, which are comprised of local political leaders, law enforcement and civil society representatives, will benefit from a grants program that will support “common cause” projects that will allow them to propose and implement projects that will foster community development and inter-ethnic cooperation, while building trust in Kosovo’s governing institutions. Throughout the course of the project, EWMI will work with local partners, including the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, the Association of Kosovo Municipalities, and the Ministry of Local Government Administration, to contribute to the peace and security Kosovo during this transitional period in its history.