Some of the achievements of EUFOR Op Althea in 2016: In February the Armed Forces of BiH (AFBiH) and EUFOR signed a joint agreement to enable the capability building and evaluation of AF BiH. This event marked the official start of joint working groups to monitor the development of AFBiH towards self-sustaining operational capability.
EUFOR has enabled significant range of capability enhancing training events including: road construction, flight operations, flight safety, disaster relief operations, deployability and mobility and communications security alongside military skills and leadership training.
In the framework of the Capacity Building and Training Programme, EUFOR continues to support the AFBiH with the safe management (storage or disposal) of all surplus weapons and ammunition in BiH. As well as increasing personnel safety, this will free up the many AFBiH soldiers charged with guarding and maintaining the 30 weapon storage sites throughout BiH.
The development of an organic capability within AFBiH, enabled inter alia by EUFOR, has resulted in the Mine Action and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Centre opened in April. Mine clearance continues to be a challenge in this country and there is still much to do in developing clearance management and quality assurance issues.
Exercise QUICK RESPONSE at the beginning of October involved units from the AFBiH, EUFOR’s Multinational Battalion, the KFOR Tactical Reserve and the Intermediate Reserve Force from the UK in a challenging combined field training exercise. This large-scale exercise demonstrated a remarkable level of tactical capability developed within the AFBiH and underlined the ability of committed reserve forces to deploy into BiH, if required.
EUFOR continued to support the AFBiH on the path to EU accession.
In figures:
- 11 units were declared operationally ready by AFBiH and as a result of EUFOR actions, AFBiH Peace Support Operations trained personnel have continued to train and deploy to the RESOLUTE SUPPORT Mission in Afghanistan as Force Protection.
- Ammunition and Weapons Sites Inspections and Disposals observed and advised on the inspection of over 6,000 tons of ammunition in stores across the country.
- 10 new staff of the AFBiH have been trained successfully on the sophisticated ability to dismantle and delaborate surplus and outdated ammunition. An additional 10 instructors have finished their training and can now pass on that knowledge, which contributes to security for the population and helps reducing the number of ammunition and weapons storing sites across the country.
- Over 19,000 school children and workers in areas/occupations with an increased threat of mines were provided Mine Risk Education by EUFOR LOT houses throughout the country.
Minister of Defence, Marina Pendeš said:
“I would like to express my gratitude to EUFOR Command, in particular for the help and support EUFOR has been providing to the MoD and AFBiH in carrying out our missions and task in 2016.
EUFOR has, together with the AF BiH, implemented numerous projects including joint training, military exercises, resolving surplus weapons, ammunition and explosive ordnance and demining. All this was not only for the purpose of achieving the necessary standards for a quick and successful integration of BiH into the family of European and Euro-Atlantic organizations and associations, but also for the purpose of a better and safer future of BiH and the entire region.
Hoping for an even more successful cooperation in the future, I thank you once more and wish you every success in performance of your mission and tasks.”
EUFOR contributes to the Safe and Secure Environment (SASE) in BiH and aims to promote a climate in which the peace process can continue successfully. A main task of the force comprising 600 troops from 20 nations is building up the capacity of the AFBiH and increasing their professionalism up to international standards.
