In the presence of high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH), the British Embassy in BiH, EUFOR and NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, the development of the AFBiH Combat Training Center, achieved through the partnership and support of the Government of the United Kingdom (UK), was presented to the public today at Manjača.
The United Kingdom has secured the procurement of innovative equipment such as automated targets for combat shooting, a mobile training village for urban combat and smart video surveillance, as well as professional training of instructors.
This will enable greater security and more realistic training of members of the AFBiH and help the AFBiH to better apply the “Women, Peace and Security” agenda in its exercises and operations, making this military site unique in the region, the BiH Ministry of Defense said.
The current development of the Combat Training Center of the Armed Forces (AF) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in Manjaca, achieved through partnership and support of the Government of the United Kingdom (UK), was presented to the public yesterday.
“The UK has ensured the procurement of innovative equipment such as automated targets for combat shooting, a mobile training area for urban combat and smart video surveillance, as well as professional training of instructors. This will provide greater security and more realistic training for the members of the AFBiH so they could use the agenda “Women, peace and security ‘in its exercises and operations in a better way. This makes this military site unique in the region,” it was mentioned in the statement by the BiH Ministry of Defense.
Besides BiH Defense Minister Sifet Podzic, the presentation was attended by British Ambassador to BiH, Matt Field, Chief of the Joint Staff of the AFBiH Colonel-General Senad Masovic with Deputy Major Generals Ivica Jerkic and Gojko Knezevic, NATO Sarajevo Staff Brigadier General Eric Folkestad, Deputy Commander of EUFOR in BiH, Brigadier General Szilard Gerofi, Assistant Ministers of Defense of BiH and members of the General Assembly of the AFBiH, and other guests.
“The new funds will make it even easier to achieve high professional and combat standards in defense against various modern threats, interoperability with NATO troops, but also even better preparation for participation in international peacekeeping operations,” Podzic explained, adding that “UK assistance is even more important when it is known that due to different political circumstances in the country, support for achieving a sufficient military budget is not stable and our members work in circumstances of very low level of funding. ”
Field emphasized that the UK is a long-term partner of the AFBiH and thanked the AFBiH for its top professionalism and service in the public interest.
“They represent the best this country has,” said Field.
General Folkestad stressed that the new capacities of the SBO represent a significant contribution to building the capabilities of the AFBiH.
“This is a reminder that the international community is committed to BiH and its unique AF,” he noted, adding that as a country that is part of the Partnership for Peace, BiH enjoys the full support of NATO and its 30 Allies.
