Ahtisaari was a UN Special Envoy at the Kosovo status process negotiations. These negotiations were aimed at resolving a long-running dispute in Kosovo. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. In October 2008, Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for his efforts on several continents and over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts". The Nobel statement said that Ahtisaari has played a prominent role in resolving many conflicts in Namibia, Indonesia, Kosovo and Iraq, among other areas.