The Allies played a key role in implementing the Dayton Peace Agreement on Bosnia and Herzegovina and in securing this peace through significant peacekeeping deployments over a nine year period from December 1995. In December 2004, this responsibility was handed over to the European Union. NATO retained a military headquarters in Sarajevo to assist the Bosnian authorities with defence reform, counter-terrorism, intelligence gathering and apprehending war-crimes suspects.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is now seeking to draw closer to Euro-Atlantic standards and institutions. As with many of NATO’s Partners, the extent of cooperation ultimately depends on the country’s willingness to continue its democratic, institutional and defence reform processes. The country is also expected to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
How does cooperation work in practice?
Areas of cooperation, reform plans and political dialogue processes are detailed in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s IPP, which is jointly agreued with NATO for a two-year period. Key priorities include developing full democratic control of the armed forces, defence planning and budgeting and civil-emergency planning.
Beyond supporting reform, another key objective of NATO’s cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina is to develop the ability of the country’s forces to work together with forces from NATO countries and other Partners, especially in peacekeeping and crisis-management operations.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is also developing cooperation with NATO Allies and Partner countries in a range of other areas through the Partnership for Peace (PfP) and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC).
Bosnia and Herzegovina is working towards establishing a diplomatic mission at NATO Headquarters as well as a liaison office at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
Key areas of cooperation are highlighted below:
Security cooperation
Since joining the Partnership for Peace in December 2006, Bosnia and Herzegovina has been working with the Allies to increase security cooperation within the jointly agreed goals of the country’s IPP.
The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina have started the process for signing the PfP Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the Allies, in accordance with its national legislation. The PfP SOFA is a multilateral agreement between NATO member states and Partner countries, which deals with the status of foreign forces while present on the territory of another state. This agreement will greatly facilitate Bosnia and Herzegovina’s military-to-military cooperation and other practical cooperation with NATO member states and other Partner countries. In particular, it will make it easier to deploy forces to participate in joint operations and exercises.
NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina aim to improve the exchange of information on combating terrorism. The Allies will assist the country in establishing a relevant counter-terrorist capability and provide advice on improve the existing national apparatus.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has declared a number of forces and assets as potentially available for PfP activities, especially disaster-relief and humanitarian operations. Engineering units and related equipment as well as other units could be available. The country is ready to create the necessary preconditions for the use of reserve airports in Mostar, Banja Luka and Tuzla, as well as ensuring over-flight rights for NATO aircraft. The country has also made a number of training facilities available, these include; a Combat Training Centre at Manjača and a Peace Support Operations Training Centre at Butmir. The country is also working on establishing a Professional Development Centre in Travnik that would be available within the PfP framework.
Although this was not part of a NATO operation, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina have had an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) platoon deployed in Iraq since 2005, under the multinational coalition’s operation.
Defence and security sector reform
Defence and security sector reforms are core elements of cooperation. The Alliance as a whole and individual Allies have considerable expertise which Bosnia and Herzegovina can draw upon in this area. A key priority is working together to establish full democratic control over the armed forces. NATO supports the wider democratic and institutional and judicial reform process underway in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A key aspect of the work of the NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina concerned reform of the country's defence structures, which were divided into the three separate structures for each of the country’s main ethnic groups. Within the framework of a Defence Reform Commission, SFOR and NATO helped the country build a unified command and control structure, and develop joint doctrine and standards for training and equipment that are compatible with NATO standards. In March 2004, a state-level defence minister brought the country’s two separate armies under a single command structure. NATO's military headquarters in Sarajevo took a leading role in the Defence Reform Commission and continues to work with Bosnia and Herzegovina on defence reform to this day.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is working to further develop a fully professional active component of armed forces, complemented by fully trained active reserve, both manned by volunteers who meet high professional standards. These forces, including reserves, will be interoperable with NATO forces. The process of restructuring and reorganisation of the armed forces in order to reach these goals is ongoing. A NATO/PfP Trust Fund project for assistance to redundant defence personnel is also an important element in this process.
Civil emergency planning
NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina intend to increase civil emergency planning cooperation. The country is developing its national civil emergency and disaster-management capabilities. In consultation with the Allies, the country is also working on enhancing the legal framework for coping with such emergencies, and working to establish a civil crisis information system to coordinate activities in the event of an emergency.
Science and environment
Under the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme Bosnia and Herzegovina has received grant awards for a number of cooperative projects. Projects include Seismic risk hazard reduction studies and legal aspects of countering terrorism.
Bosnia and Herzegovina and NATO aim to increase scientific cooperation. Key cooperative areas for development could be further regional security issues and environmental initiatives.
Public information
Bosnia and Herzegovina and NATO aim to improve public access to information on the benefits of cooperation. The Allies are assisting the country in improving the training of public information specialists within the country's armed forces.
How did relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina evolve?
In August 1995, NATO air strikes were instrumental in bringing an end to the bloody three year conflict in the country. In December 1995, the Alliance deployed its first-ever peacekeeping mission, the Implementation Force (IFOR), to implement the military aspects of the Dayton Peace Agreement. IFOR was replaced a year later by the Stabilization Force (SFOR), which helped maintain a secure environment to facilitate the country's reconstruction as well as supporting reform of the Bosnian armed forces.
As the security situation gradually improved, the number of peacekeepers was progressively reduced from the 60 000 that were originally deployed to 7000 in 2004. SFOR’s mission ended in December 2004, when responsibility for maintaining security was handed over to the European Union. NATO continues to provide support to the EU operation in BiH (Operation Althea) within the framework of the Berlin Plus arrangements.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is now far more secure. Developments on the civil side continue to progress. NATO Allies are committed to aiding Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to develop, prosper and move towards Euro-Atlantic standards through the Partnership for Peace (PfP) framework.
Key milestones
| 1993 | In April, NATO begins Operation Deny Flight to prevent aerial intrusion over Bosnia and Herzegovina |
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| 1994 | On 28 February four warplanes violating the no-fly zone were shot down by NATO aircraft in the Alliance’s first military engagement |
| 1995 | In August, Allied air strikes on Bosnian-Serb positions help compel the warring parties into peace negotiations. |
| The Dayton Peace Agreement is signed on 14 December. | |
| The 60 000 strong NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR) deploys to implement the military aspects of the peace agreement. IFOR is NATO’s first peacekeeping operation. | |
| 1996 | In September, the first elections are held in Bosnia and Herzegovina; the Allies agree to maintain a security presence in the country to facilitate the country’s reconstruction. |
| The Stabilization Force (SFOR) replaces IFOR in December. | |
| 2004 | In December, the European Union peacekeeping force (EUFOR) takes over responsibility for maintaining security in Bosnia and Herzegovina. NATO supports the operation through the Berlin + arrangements. |
| 2006 | Bosnia and Herzegovina joins the PfP and agrees its first Individual Partnership Programme (IPP). |
| 2008 | Bosnia and Herzegovina starts working with NATO on an Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) in January and discusses with Allies its IPAP Presentation Document in February. |
| In April, the country is invited by NATO to begin an Intensified Dialogue on the full range of political, military, financial, and security issues relating to its aspirations to membership. |