The Republic of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, is one of many countries that face new challenges as responsibilities for government functions and services shift from the central to the local level. Decentralization in Kosovo is mandated under a proposed settlement known as the Ahtisaari Plan (named for its author, former United Nations special envoy Martti Ahtisaari). 

To gain an understanding of the context in which they now operate, seven mayors, deputy mayors, and other municipal officials from Kosovo visited ICMA as one stop in a U.S. tour designed to illustrate how the federal system works in this country.

The challenges these officials are facing at home include establishing new personal and professional relationships with the central government, finding ways to bridge gaps between ethnic minorities and political groups, and encouraging local minority populations to integrate and take advantage of municipal services. 

Alan Edmond, senior governance advisor with ICMA International, provided an overview of the U.S. federal system and explained the distribution of powers and responsibilities among national, state, county, and municipal levels of government. He outlined the primary forms of local government utilized in the U.S. and described the roles and responsibilities of the mayor, governing body, administrator, and citizens in each one. 

Only two levels of government exist in Kosovo—central and municipal. Mayors generally have one or two deputies, who are trained in administration. Department directors serve as advisors to the mayor—and all hold political positions that turn over when a new mayor takes office. The chief of staff, a professional position in the department of administration, provides continuity from administration to administration. 

In addition to information about intergovernmental relations and form of government, the visitors were interested in master planning, improving the local business climate, and tourism development—particularly in the Šar Mountain area near Macedonia, where development of a ski industry could boost the economy of the entire region. Practical problems include solid waste management and lack of control over land within the municipal boundaries.

ICMA is currently a partner in implementing the Democratic and Effective Municipalities Initiative (DEMI), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). DEMI is a three-year program designed to assist Kosovo municipalities, their leaders, and citizens as they work to promote, implement, and encourage good governance.

ICMA’s role in the DEMI program is to help build the capacity of municipal councils and staff. ICMA has assessed the needs of participating municipalities, developed workshop materials for municipal councils, and provided technical assistance in economic development planning. Future activities will include facilitation of peer-to-peer partnerships between Kosovo municipalities and their U.S. counterparts, using the ICMA CityLinks model.

The Kosovo visitors are in the United States under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. Their tour was arranged by Meridian International Center. Other stops include Santa Fe, Miami, and Manchester, New Hampshire.