Director General of the NATO International Military Staff Discusses Regional Stability with Bosnian Officials
Lieutenant General Jan Broeks, Director General of the NATO International Military Staff visited Bosnia and Herzegovina on 25-26 February 2019. During his visit, Lieutenant General Broeks met with Minister of Defence, Ms Marina Pendeš and Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Senad Mašović. He also took the opportunity to visit the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo.
Arriving in Sarajevo, the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff, Lieutenant General Broeks headed to NATO’s Headquarters in Camp Butmir. Brigadier General Bissell, Commander of the HQ provided the Lieutenant General with an update on their activities and future opportunities to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina on its Euro-Atlantic integrations path. The Director General highlighted how NATO HQ Sarajevo embodies “NATO’s enduring commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina, being a facilitator for reform in defence and security structures as well as coordinating NATO programs and activities in the region”.
While meeting with the Bosnian Minister of Defence, Ms Marina Pendeš, Lieutenant General Broeks underlined “NATO’s continued assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina through the support of reforms and capability building. These changes will benefit your people for many years to come and will help your integration into NATO and the Euro-Atlantic zone”.
Sitting down with Lieutenant General Senad Mašović, Bosnian Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Broeks commended Bosnia and Herzegovina for its contributions to NATO-led operations and for its commitment to regional cooperation and security. He emphasized “Bosnia and Herzegovina is a valued partner and an important actor in the stability and security of the Western Balkans. We will continue to work closely with Bosnia and Herzegovina and other Nations in the Western Balkans to maintain and promote regional and international peace and security”.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a NATO partner, through the NATO Partnership for Peace programme, since 2006.