On Thursday, the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, received Admiral George M. Wikoff, Commander of the NATO Combined Forces Command in Naples, on an official visit.
The BiH Ministry of Defense announced that at the beginning of the meeting, Helez thanked Admiral Wikoff for his visit and congratulated him on his appointment as commander of the Combined Allied Forces Command in Naples, as well as commander of the US Naval Forces for Europe and Africa, under whose authority NATO Headquarters Sarajevo operates.
Helez emphasized that the main foreign policy goal of Bosnia and Herzegovina is full membership in the European Union and NATO, emphasizing that the Ministry of Defense of BiH continuously carries out activities aimed at meeting the necessary conditions and strengthening cooperation with Euro-Atlantic partners.
The delegation was informed that the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to strengthen defense capacities and the modernization process, including the implementation of a multi-year project for the procurement of specialized vehicles for light infantry units. The importance of the NATO DCB program, as well as strong bilateral cooperation with the United States of America, was particularly highlighted.
Bosnia and Herzegovina actively participates in key NATO cooperation mechanisms, including the Individual Tailored Partnership Program (ITTP), the PARP process and the NATO DEEP program for the improvement of military education. At the same time, the contribution to international missions and the work of the Joint Command in Naples continues, whereby BiH confirms its commitment to being a reliable and active partner.
It was pointed out that BiH and NATO cooperate through about 180 activities a year, which confirms the intensity of the partnership and contribution to joint security and stability. The importance of cooperation with the NATO headquarters in Sarajevo, as well as the upcoming military-strategic partnership coordination conference (MSPC26), which will be hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina, was also emphasized.
Deputy Minister Slaven Galić pointed out that it is very important that the post of commander of the NATO headquarters in Sarajevo is performed by a general from the United States of America. He emphasized the need to continue the reform of the Ministry of Defense, the modernization of the BiH Armed Forces and the timely adoption of the budget, saying that the United States of America is the number one partner, while membership in NATO and the European Union remains the ultimate goal of BiH.
Deputy Minister Aleksandar Goganović assessed that the cooperation with the NATO headquarters in Sarajevo is at a high level, and praised the previous cooperation with General Christopher Valas, emphasizing that he is a reliable partner who has successfully responded to all challenges. He said that BiH remains committed to preserving peace, continuing reforms and strengthening relations with NATO, the United States of America and European partners, with the message: “Remain our reliable partner, and we will be yours”.
Admiral Wikoff stressed that the United States of America remains committed to the NATO alliance, and NATO to peacekeeping.
For the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said that they are a reliable partner of NATO, praising the implemented reforms and encouraging the continuation of modernization.
