NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted NATO’s long standing efforts in support to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s security and regional stability. “25 years ago, the Dayton Peace Agreement brought an end to nearly four years of brutal war in Bosnia-Herzegovina,” Secretary General Stoltenberg said. “The presence of NATO troops played a central role in bringing the warring parties to the negotiating table; once the agreement was signed, NATO forces oversaw its implementation; and we have remained on the ground ever since to help maintain peace and security in the Western Balkans,” he added.
The NATO Secretary General praised Bosnia-Herzegovina for its contributions to Euro-Atlantic security and pointed out NATO’s role in support to the process of reforming the country’s national security institutions. “One of the most significant achievements has been the creation of the Joint Armed Forces; at the end of the war there were more than 400,000 troops, bitterly divided between three armies; today there is a single professional army of around 10,000 soldiers and 5,000 reservists under a unified chain of command,” he underscored.
Secretary General Stoltenberg also highlighted NATO’s continued commitment. “25 years on, there is still much work to be done,” he said. “We cannot – and must not – return to the past; compromise may be difficult, but it is vital if the citizens of this country are to have the lives they deserve; NATO will continue to support Bosnia-Herzegovina; a quarter of a century after Dayton, it is time to recommit to peace, to reform, and to a prosperous future for all,” he added.
