Merci Monsieur le Président. During a recent United Nations Security Council briefing, the United States made a call for the gradual winding down of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The US delegation, acknowledging the briefing from Special Representative Ziadeh and the Kosovar foreign minister's remarks, stressed the need to transfer UNMIK's functions to other UN agencies on the ground more suited for the task.
The US position is influenced by a commitment to reduce unnecessary spending in international organizations. It was noted that "UNMIK is a peacekeeping mission without peacekeepers, with 81 percent of its budget going to staff salaries even as the mission has long outlived its original mandate." The US urged fellow Council members to join in revisiting UNMIK's mandate and called the start of the transition "overdue."
"UNMIK no longer has a role in the governance of Kosovo, and the mission remains over-sourced and overstaffed," the statement continued, advocating for closed-door future meetings to encourage more candid discussions and suggesting that these briefings be reduced to annual occurrences to better manage the Council's time.
Furthermore, the US emphasized the importance of Kosovo and Serbia working together to de-escalate tensions and build peace and stability, to foster a more prosperous future in the Western Balkans. The ultimate objective remains the mutual recognition and normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which is seen as crucial to regional stability. "America and the global community are safer when countries resolve their conflicts peacefully, and more prosperous when they create the climate for expanding international trade and investment."
Je vous remercie Monsieur le Président.