Kosovo is the newest nation on the European continent. On 17 February 2008, the parliament in Pristina declared Kosovo's secession from the Republic of Serbia. The relationship between the Albanian majority and the Serbian minority is strained, with ethnic tensions also hindering economic development, especially in the north of the country. Kosovo is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Unemployment is high and families depend on remittances from their relatives abroad. Since the end of the war in 1999, KfW Development Bank has been helping Kosovo develop an efficient and sustainable energy supply, support sustainable urban development and promote small enterprises, so that they can become an engine for the Kosovar economy and help create jobs.
