For the first time in nearly a decade, Bundeswehr soldiers are again deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as part of EUFOR’s international peacekeeping contingent. On Tuesday, August 16, the military were received at the mission headquarters in Sarajevo. As reported by Reuters, by mid-September it is planned to involve 28 military personnel.

“By doing so, we are sending a signal that Germany is working with partners to ensure the safety of residents on the ground,” said Ally-90/Green politician Manuel Sarrazin, the federal government’s commissioner for the Western Balkans.

Term extended until June 30, 2023

According to preliminary data, the mandate is expected to be valid until June 30, 2023. The upper limit of the contingent is 50 soldiers. They are intended to provide interaction with local residents in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to be deployed at the command center in Sarajevo.

In 2021, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the EUFOR international peacekeeping contingent in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The decision was taken unanimously.

EUFOR Mission

The EUFOR mission began operations in December 2004, when the European Union took command of NATO’s international peacekeeping contingent in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After the end of the Bosnian War (1992-1995), Bosnia and Herzegovina was divided into two semi-autonomous republics: Serbia and Croatian-Bosnia. Today each of them has its own government and parliament. At the same time, there is also a common governing body – the Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina.