Kosovo—Ministry of Foreign Affairs Support (KMFAS)

Until recently, the fledgling nation of Kosovo’s most pressing concern was not governing as an independent state, but finalizing its territorial status. With that issue resolved, Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) began establishing itself as an institution, creating an embassy presence in foreign countries, and negotiating international agreements and treaties related to its status as a sovereign country. The U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs Support (KMFAS) program supported that process. DAI helped conduct a situational analysis that identified the most immediate issues facing the Ministry and collaborated with personnel to address legal and policy issues, along with the procedural and operational aspects of building a new institution. Additionally, legal experts addressed treaties and international laws requiring ministry action, as well as national policies and laws framing the work of the MFA and diplomatic missions.

Sample Activities

• Establish fully functional embassies with diplomatic privileges and immunity.
• Support the Office of Bilateral Relations, International Organizations, and Security Issues, and the Office of Legal Issues, Treaties, and Human Rights.
• Build long-term capacity in the MFA and provide legal support in the event of developments that may affect KMFAS objectives.

Select Results

• Established diplomatic and consular missions, and developed the Ministry’s management capacity to support and oversee the missions.
• Developed the MFA’s communication and information technology infrastructure.
• Prepared a Consular Duty Book for use at Kosovo’s overseas posts.
• Pioneered an economic diplomacy initiative that trained 50 economic diplomats in how to identify export opportunities and attract foreign direct investment, with $90 million in new business opportunities pending at project close-down.