3 Sept. 2008
French Lieutenant General Xavier Bout de Marnhac recently completed his one-year mandate as Commander of KFOR, the NATO-led force in Kosovo, and was awarded a NATO medal by Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer during a visit to the Alliance’s Headquarters on 3 September 2008.
General de Marnhac handed over command to Italian Lieutenant General Giuseppe Emilio Gay at a ceremony held in Pristina on 29 August 2008.
The peacekeeping force has been present in Kosovo since March 1999 and is made up of contingents from 32 different NATO and Partner nations who work together to provide humanitarian assistance, help rebuilding infrastructure and communities and assist in maintaining security and stability.
KFOR’s activities throughout the summer 2008 are now the focus of a NATO Channel TV series. Through interviews with those working in the field or at KFOR Headquarters, these videos highlight NATO’s commitment to the development of a safe and secure environment in Kosovo for the benefit of all citizens, irrespective of their ethnic origins.
