In 2004, Kosovo had a relatively enlightened free-market-oriented economic policy compared to its Balkan peers, but many reforms were needed to improve its business environment to stimulate economic development and job creation. Due to historical and political reasons, many overlapping bureaucracies were involved in decision- and policy-making processes. There were three sets of policy makers and two sets of implementing agencies that needed to work together to achieve economic reform. Additionally, many areas of economic governance were delegated to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Provisional Institutions of Self Governance (PISG).
SEGURA was contracted by USAID to provide short-term assistance in Kosovo to assist the Kosovar business community and NGOs in organizing and supporting business-based reform. The project linked the constituencies of a variety of reform initiatives to empower them to work collectively and in a more fruitful way. SEGURA provided technical assistance for the first phase of the Collective Reform Initiative to assist the local Kosovar organizations in designing and implementing an advocacy campaign leading to reforms in support of Kosovar private sector development. Specifically, two senior coordinators who worked with RIINVEST (local NGO think tank) and the Alliance of Kosovar Businessmen (AKB) assisted the community in organizing a steering committee for the advocacy effort and promoting the concept.