The traditional meeting of the friendly countries of the Peace Support Operations Training Center of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PSOTC of BiH) was organized on October 20th, 2021 in Sarajevo, with the presence of more than 40 participants from 15 partner countries, representatives of NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, EUFOR, and OSCE. and, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of BiH (AFBiH), and other partner institutions in BiH.
The formal gathering at Sarajevo’s Hollywood Hotel was opened by BiH Defense Minister Sifet Podzic. He thanked all the countries that, in various ways since their establishment in 2003, have helped and are still helping the opening and operation of this center, which trains not only members of the AFBiH but also experts from other friendly countries and their armed forces.
This meeting was also attended by the Commander of the NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, United States (U.S.) Brigadier, General Eric Folkesterad, and a representative of the Austrian Ministry of Defense, Michael Pesendorfer. The meeting was chaired by BiH Assistant Minister of Defense for International Cooperation, Zoran Sajinovic.
Minister Podzic pointed out the special successes of the PSOTC such as obtaining NATO’s unconditional institutional accreditation, competitions certified by NATO and the United Nations (UN), and numerous other NATO and U.S.accreditations.
“Material and professional support of international partners was and is a solid basis for PSOTC to become a model of high professional standards, responsibility, and internal cohesion, which is an indispensable element of a successful professional, and especially military structure,” told Minister Podzic.
“Next year, the Center faces a new challenge and an ambitious goal – to obtain an extension of NATO accreditation and re-certification of certain courses, after the expiration of the initial six-year period. Let this task be at the very top of all priorities, “the Minister stressed.
Also, he noted that the recent regional meeting of defense ministers of the Western Balkans, with the participation of Austria and the European Defense Agency, agreed on the need to organize a special training program for strategic personnel in the defense security systems of the region, in the context of the European Common Security and Defense policy.
It is a program of a modular character in the form of one-week seminars, which will be held quarterly, first at the Austrian Defense Academy in early 2022, and then in the countries of the region. Podzic emphasized that he sees PSOTC as a platform for the preparation and organization of a strategic leadership seminar in 2023, which will be hosted by BiH.
E.Dz.
Source: Radio Sarajevo
