The Director of the Mine Removal Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHMAC) Saša Obradović also submitted an official report in Geneva on the completion of cluster munition clearance tasks in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The report was submitted at the 11th meeting of member countries of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Production, Use, Stockpiling and Transfer of Cluster Munitions, which was signed by more than 100 countries around the world.
During his presentation, Obradović pointed out that all obligations in the part related to Article 4 of the Convention have been complied with, and all in accordance with the last extension and the accepted deadline of September 1, 2023.
This exceptional success of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina was achieved in cooperation with partner organizations, the NGO Norwegian People’s Aid, the Republican Administration of Civil Protection of the Republika Srpska, the Federal Administration of Civil Protection and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, with the professional help and supervision of BHMAC, successfully completed tasks undertaken.
Great gratitude was expressed to all donors, and especially to the Government of the Kingdom of Norway and their commitment and contribution, so that today we can say that our country is free from cluster munitions. Of course, efforts are still being made to provide continuous assistance to all victims of cluster munitions and their families, including medical rehabilitation and reintegration into socio-economic streams, BHMAC announced.
At the same time, BHMAC reminds that the contamination of Bosnia and Herzegovina with cluster munitions occurred during the last war and amounted to 14.61 km2 in 140 locations throughout the country. Cluster munitions claimed 195 human lives in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Thanks to the signing of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Production, Use, Storage and Transfer of Cluster Munitions in 2008 and its ratification in 2010, Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the last approved extension from 2021, undertook to clean up all remaining known areas with cluster munitions, including September 1, 2023.
Although the process of removing cluster munitions has ended, Bosnia and Herzegovina still faces a struggle with the remaining mines and explosive devices, and all donors are invited to continue providing support in this direction, so that our country will be completely safe until 2027, when is a threat from mines and explosive devices.
