 Eide has previously served as the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General in Kosovo in 2005.His report to the Secretary General of the United Nations on the political situation in former Serbian province of Kosovo resulted in the launching of the negotiations that ultimately brought about a controversial and disputed unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo in 2008.Eide has also Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997–1998.