Rebuilding Public Administration in Post-war Kosovo

Abstract

Rebuilding public administration in conflict-affected contexts is vital for the achievement of effective state-building. In post-war Kosovo, most legislative framework and governance institutions at local and central level have been (re)built. Although these institutions deliver public goods and services to citizens, they remain weak due to widespread problems which are deeply rooted in the governance system built by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and reinforced by the individual and political interests of a number of local stakeholders. Indeed, the outcomes show that public administration in Kosovo exists and functions to some extent, but it lacks highly skilled public servants, is highly politicised and suffers from nepotism practices, and, as a result, it is oversized all the while underperforming. It requires leadership, vision and commitment to transform Kosovo public administration into a professional public administration, which can only happen with a new generation of politicians and a strong civil society.