New Trends in Peace-keeping: The Experience of Operation Alba

The multilateral operation in Albania in spring 1997, code-named Operation Alba, was successful, but was also too specific and circumstantial to serve as a model for a general 'coalition of the willing' peace-keeping model. Such pitfalls as the risk of regional domination and uncertain decision-making make it preferable that peace-keeping responsibilities are delegated to institutional actors. They can exploit more reliable frameworks for an intervention, and should invest efforts in reinforcing such frameworks. Lessons from Operation Alba are essentially about ensuring smooth cooperation and collective management in similar operations, as well as facilitating harmonization between the military and the civilian aspects of peace-keeping.