The Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina in cooperation with the Embassy of the United States in Bosnia and Herzegovina today at Camp “Butmir” hosted a ceremony at which the Training Center for Peace Support Operations of the Armed Forces of BiH (PSOTC) was handed a certificate – Full Training Capability – FTC.
It is a certificate that PSOTC received from the government of the United States (United States Department of State’s Global Peace Operations) and which confirmed the full competence of the training center in accordance with the highest standards and requirements.
PSOTC has now become the first training center in Europe to have received this certificate.
In the presence of senior U.S. officials, officials of NATO Headquarters Sarajevo and EUFOR, as well as representatives of the BiH government, and members of the diplomatic corps, the certificate on behalf of the Initiative of Global Peace Operations with the U.S. State Department was presented by the Director of the Office of Plans and Initiatives Michael L. Smith, who extended congratulations for BiH’s commitment to international peace and security.
Smith said in a statement to the media after the ceremony that the requirements for highly qualified peacekeepers around the world today are greater than ever before.
“Currently, the UN has 117,000 peacekeepers on four continents in 17 peacekeeping operations around the world,” he said, recalling the importance of quality training for the success of these missions.
Smith underlined that the partnership with BiH in this area extends over a long period and that the presentation of certificates is the result of this successful cooperation, stating that the Armed Forces of BiH has carried a greatest burden in all the previous efforts, “which contributed to this success of BiH with the help of international partners, and for BiH to be the first of eleven European partners.”
“I am especially impressed with what this center (PSOTC) has done in the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 which deals with the rights of women, peace and security,” said Smith, adding that the new status of PSOTC will enable the international community to use more intensively its capacities in the field of training for peacekeeping operations.
Deputy Minister of Defense of BiH Marina Pendeš said that the act of granting the said certificate showed that BiH, regardless of current problems, can be proud of the achievements of the Ministry of Defense of BiH and the Armed Forces.
PSOTC Commander, Brigadier Jasmin Čajić told reporters that the certificate is a confirmation of competence of the center to educate and conduct trainings for local and students from abroad under the highest international and NATO standards.
“Today I stand proud after all the words of praise addressed to PSOTC, and of the fact that this is the first such center in Europe to have received this significant recognition,” said Brigadier Čajić.
He recalled that PSOTC has so far trained and educated more than 5,000 students, of whom 1,500 foreigners, including members of the AFBiH, employees of the Ministry of Defense of BiH and members of law enforcement agencies, as well as graduate students from five BiH universities.
At the ceremony, which preceded the statements of the officials, the participants were welcomed by the Military Attaché, Brigadier Scott Miller, who gave recognition to all the achievements of the BiH Armed Forces and the acquired level of professionalism of its members.
(Source: Fena)
