1. Democratisation of the Security Sector in the Western Balkans
Florian QEHAJA, Executive Director of
Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)

2. KCSS is an independent and non-partisan think tank based in Kosovo
There was a need to establish an organisation which would oversee the build up of the security sector after the independence
We cover SSR, Justice, Foreign Affairs and Conflict Prevention
KCSS part of regional think tank consortium “Civil Society Capacity Building to Map and Monitor SSR in the Western Balkans”
Part of the consortium is: Institute for Democracy and Mediation (Albania); Centre for Security Studies (BiH); Institute for International Relations (Croatia); Analytica (Macedonia); Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (Montenegro) and Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (Serbia).
Project coordinated by DCAF Geneva. Funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

3. Consortium We moved “from conflict zone to epistemic communities”
Project goals were:
Create methodological instrument for measuring SSR from the perspective of civil society
Generate and share useful knowledge on the state of democratic governance in the security sector
Whole-of-sector approach (holistic approach to security sector)
Enhance of civil society’s advocacy potential
Increase of capacities of civil society
Target: Governments, Parliaments, CSO’s, Academia, International Community

4. Methodology Name of Criteria Existence of relevant legislation
Administrative Capacities
Implementation
Values
Legal State
Grades 1-5
General Transparency
Financial Transparency
Executive Control and Oversight
Parliamentary Oversight
Control by Ind. Institutions
Judicial Oversight
Representativeness

5. The impact of consortium
Fostered cooperation between CSO’s and security sector
Triggered wide range debate on the good governance issues
Contributed towards local ownership (based on maximalist point of view)
Serves as a local watchdog to SSR in line with EU Conditionality (applicable solely to Western Balkans)
Increased capacities of SSR organisations itself
Producing publications for the policy and academic purpose
Transmitting experiences to emerging transitions and democracies

6. KCSS experiences in other countries
1. Expert group on advising the drafting of the National Security Strategy (NSS) of Nepal
Transmitting Kosovo experiences (failures of absence of local ownership)
Guidance in accordance with the local context
Need for a harmonised policy framework
2. Capacity building for former combatants of Lybian revolution
DDR process and lessons from Kosovo