New trust fund for Bosnia and Herzegovina launched
{gallery}/newsletters/10/2/1{/gallery}At a ceremony in Brussels on October 1, in the presence of representatives of BiH and the International Organization for Migration, NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Security Cooperation and Partnership, Robert Simmons, along with the permanent NATO representatives of the Netherlands, Norway and Slovenia, approved a new cycle of Trust Fund for 2010-2012 worth 3,421.658 Euros (BAM 6,692.079). The money will be used to support 3,000 soldiers from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Trust Fund is one of the channels through which NATO is providing aid for the progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s defense reforms. Money allocated to the fund is primarily intended to support the social reintegration of members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina whose contracts, due to legal regulations, expire in 2010 – 2012.
With the main donors, consisting of the Netherlands, Norway and Slovenia, the project has been financially contributed to by Luxembourg, Sweden, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Implementation of the project will be carried out by the Sarajevo Headquarters of the International Organization for Migration, with the assistance of the BiH Ministry of Defense and NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo.
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In line with the previously signed bilateral agreement between BiH and the American Agency for International Development, $2,113.600 (BAM 2,979.542) will be added to the fund.
We are still waiting for BiH Ministry of Defense and the IOM in Sarajevo to provide more information about the implementation of the project in total value of BAM 9,671.620.
In the meantime, an informative briefing was conducted in Sarajevo on October 5 for military and diplomatic representatives accredited in our country. This briefing was held by the Defense Minister’s assistant for personnel, Sead Muratović. Topics included the establishment of the NATO Trust Fund for BiH, the program “Prospects” (“Perspektiva”) and the process of military personnel transition. Representatives from NATO Headquarters were among those present at the meeting, along with Regina Boucault and Gianluca Rocco of the IOM Mission in BiH.
Asaf ALIBEGOVIĆ
Photo: NATO
