United Nations agencies, funds and programmes are using a new communications strategy to the detriment of Kosovo. They are proclaiming the non-recognition of [Kosovo’s] statehood everywhere.

This is being done by including an asterisk to the names of UN offices and mechanisms in Kosovo. They are also adding the footnote which is not unique in its content. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 is included in every content.

The United Nations Team in Kosovo (UNKT) includes 19 agencies, funds and programmes. The most active ones have lately included the asterisk in their official names. In addition to documents, the asterisk has also been included on the webpages and social media accounts of several UNKT members.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) leads the UN mechanisms in promoting the asterisk and the footnote. On its webpage and Twitter and Instagram accounts it is presented as “UNDP Kosovo*”. Its channel in YouTube is called: “UNDP Kosovo as per UNSCR 1244”. The UNDP Resident Representative in Kosovo is Andrew Russell. He coordinates and leads the work of UN agencies, funds and programmes in Kosovo. UNDP officials argue that the asterisk is a highly technical issue and that it does not have any impact on the way this programme works in Kosovo, compared to other countries in the world.

Mjellmë Doli, a local consultant in Russell’s office, said in a written response to the paper that, regardless of the positions of the United Nations Secretary-General or other member states, the position of the UNKT and UNDP does not impact the approach to Kosovo’s development. “We are here to support Kosovars, to build capacities and leadership in line with the priorities of the Kosovo authorities. We are also committed to providing direct support to Kosovo’s path toward the European Union,” Doli said. “We have applied this practical approach since the beginning and we remain focused on reaching concrete results and achievements”.

In addition to the UNDP, the paper also sent specific questions to the institution that operates as the umbrella for the entire UN team. They did not talk about previous practices about the footnote, but presented a “public communications rule” that according to them was sent by the UN Legal Office.

“The ‘status neutral’ position taken by the Secretary-General vis-à-vis Kosovo’s status since the unilateral declaration of independence, and the practice of the organization in this regard, remain unchanged … In cases where references are needed for Kosovo and which might not be status neutral, we use the footnote with the text below: ‘references to Kosovo must be understood in the context of the Security Council’s Resolution 1244 (1999)”.

They however did not explain the reason behind the use of the asterisk in the names of UN agencies, funds and programmes in Kosovo, including their webpages, social media accounts and YouTube channels.

Other UN mechanisms, such as the UNHCR and UNICEF, have applied the same approach as the UNDP. UNHCR is presented as “UNHCR Kosovo*” followed by the sentence “… according to UNSCR 1244”. UNICEF is presented as “UNICEF in Kosovo*” together with the sentence (under UNSC Resolution 1244).

Kosovo’s authorities have declared Resolution 1244 null and void after Kosovo declared independence in February 2008. Serbia soon after contested the declaration at the International Court of Justice, a UN body. The Court ruled that the declaration of independence was not in opposition with international law. Later on, the United Nations General Assembly called on Kosovo and Serbian authorities to engage in dialogue for the normalization of relations.

Several agreements were reached during the EU-brokered dialogue, including the agreement on regional representation. The agreement includes the footnote that says: “This label [ie "Kosovo"] does not prejudge the status of Kosovo and is in accordance with Resolution 1244 and the opinion of the ICJ on Kosovo's declaration of independence”.

UNMIK spokesman Jan Malekzade told the paper that the label “Kosovo*” was a result of this agreement which notes among other things that “Kosovo* is the only label that will be used in regional cooperation”. He added however that according to this agreement, the content of the footnote cannot be applied by UN mechanisms in Kosovo.

“As spelled out in the agreement this form of the name is to be used in ‘the framework of regional cooperation’. As to the language used by UNMIK we still refer to Kosovo, as in previous documents, since the United Nations is not a regional but global organization,” he said.

Malekzade did not say if UN mechanisms in Kosovo are obliged to include the asterisk in the names of their offices and he did not explain why some of these mechanisms include the asterisk after the denomination “Kosovo” and others not.

On the other hand, Kosovo’s authorities have not reacted to the new communications strategy applied by UN agencies, funds and programmes. Neither the Office of the Prime Minister nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said if they will react about the impact of this new strategy on Kosovo’s image. They also did not say if the government will continue to use state funds to support projects prepared by these UN mechanisms, as has been the case so far.

The government allocates considerable funds for such projects. It allocated €100,000 early this month in support of a UNDP communications project for the visa liberalisation process and the Stabilisation/Association Agreement.

There are also other examples on how UNDP projects are funded by the Kosovo Budget and by funds from countries that have recognised Kosovo’s independence and that are dedicated for the state of Kosovo. Among them is the ALMP2 Project (Active Labour Market Programme) funded by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kosovo Government.