Macedonia

Academy training in Macedonia emphasizes use of negotiation and diplomatic skills to prevent recurrence of inter-ethnic violence that might spill over into neighboring countries.

Ten years of intervention in the Balkans—beginning with European monitors in 1991, extending through the ill-fated humanitarian efforts of the UN Protection Force in Bosnia (1992–95), to the current multi-purpose interventions in Bosnia (1995), Kosovo (1999), and Macedonia (2001)—have provided the most extensive post–Cold War experience in international community efforts to stabilize a conflict zone. Where do the Balkans stand now? What more needs to be done there? What has been learned? What lessons should be applied in other conflict areas like Afghanistan?

As concerns grow about Bosnia's post-war recovery, USIP presents its fourth report on recent developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and various options the U.S. government, Europe and Bosnia could pursue to prevent a return to violence there. In his paper, author Jim O'Brien, who served as the presidential envoy for the Balkans in the 1990s, cautions against taking a big initiative in Bosnia to head off a future crisis, but rather advocates taking on many, smaller battles that will ultimately align Bosnia closer to the European Union. He proposes a two-part strategy: first, Bosnia should strip political parties of their ethnic, nationalist appeal, and second, the international community should speed up the European Union accession process for the Balkans region overall.

Ted Feifer of the Professional Training Program conducted an advanced third party skills workshop for the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, July 8-10, 2004. Mission members play an important role in OSCE support for implementation of the 2001 Ohrid Agreement, which largely ended interethnic fighting.

Ted Feifer and Jacki Wilson of the Professional Training Program conducted an advanced third-party skills workshop for the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, February 7-9, 2005. Mission members play an important role in OSCE support for implementation of the 2001 Ohrid Agreement designed to end interethnic fighting in Macedonia.

Training Program Officer Jacki Wilson conducted a workshop for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, on February 10-12, 2005.