The aim of this paper is to contribute to the conversation on resolving the crisis in Kosovo’s north by proposing steps that stakeholders need to take in order to move the process forward peacefully. The paper examines the various approaches that have been put forward until now and suggests effective contributions towards sustainable peace.
Resolving the north is not a process that will yield results overnight. It took more than four years to make significant progress in the integration of Serbs in the south of Kosovo and more remains to be done there. It is redundant to highlight that the situation in the north is much more complex and thus will take more time to resolve.
While time is needed, time alone will not deliver results. Counter-intuitively, time without proper action has seen the situation steadily worsen in the north. Such a small piece of land did not suddenly appear as a major international problem – its gestation period has entered well into the second decade. Looking ahead, ignoring it further risks reigniting a wider conflict.
