NATO and partner countries are “stronger together” in times of global divisions, and strengthening resilience is the key to collective security, it was said at the Military Strategic Partnership Conference (MSPC 26), which NATO’s Partnership Directorate at the Supreme Allied Command Europe, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of BiH and NATO Headquarters, organized today in Sarajevo.
BiH Minister of Defense Zukan Helez said that the participation of representatives from 35 countries confirms the importance of the conference for Bosnia and Herzegovina, NATO and its partners.
“We are glad that NATO has entrusted the hosting to the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of BiH. Such an event strengthens the credibility of the state and provides additional security to citizens,” said Helez.
He added that the conference will discuss education, security challenges and the protection of the collective security of the Western Balkans and Europe.
“I want to send a message of peace and a wish for all conflicts to end,” said the minister.
He thanked NATO for its continued support and said that he wanted the partners to take good impressions and conclusions important for further cooperation from Sarajevo.
SHAPE Chief of Staff, German General Markus Laubenthal, emphasized that this year’s gathering is particularly significant because it marks 20 years since BiH joined the Partnership for Peace program, a partnership that, as he emphasized, has continuously brought benefits to the stability of the Western Balkans.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said, plays an important role in NATO’s partnership network, and cooperation ranges from political dialogue to military support for the development of NATO-compatible capabilities and improving the interoperability of the Armed Forces of BiH.
He particularly highlighted the Peacekeeping Operations Training Center at Camp Butmir, which provides training to both NATO allies and partners.
More than 380 representatives are participating in the conference, including 35 training institutions and centers of excellence, which, according to him, confirms a shared commitment to global security.
The meeting will include concrete activities through NATO mechanisms, exchange of experiences and strengthening resilience – topics that, he said, are of crucial importance in times of destabilization attempts through disinformation and attacks on infrastructure.
Laubenthal stressed that resilience is a shared responsibility and that NATO, in its 75th year, remains the strongest military alliance thanks to a wide network of partnerships from Europe to the Indo-Pacific and Latin America.
“Security does not stop at national borders. Together we can identify risks and respond to threats before they escalate,” concluded the general.
The conference brings together representatives of NATO member states, partner countries and military educational institutions to discuss military cooperation and strengthening partnerships.
