Mission lmpossible: A Critical Assessment of the UN Administration in Kosovo

The establishment of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in 1999 was the first step towards Kosovo’s independence. Therefore, UNMIK’s exit strategy was based on Kosovo’s achievement of certain standards in governance or the rule of law deemed necessary for statehood by the international community. UNMIK had no set expiry date, but its purpose also meant that it was working itself out of existence. Ideally, UNMIK’s phased exit should have been completed with Kosovo attaining independence in 2008. However, the lack of a new UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution leaves UNMIK undefined on those grounds. As a result, disagreements regarding Kosovo’s territorial integrity offer the mission a continuous role to play after 15 years of involvement. This analysis will determine which role UNMIK’s establishment assumed within Kosovo’s attainment of independence or more clearly put whether the decision to establish UNMIK equated the decision to establish an independent Kosovo.