On 4 March 2015, Deputy Chief of Operations and Training of the Joint Staff, Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AF BiH), Colonel Branko Rašeta, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Capacity Building and Training (CB&T) EUFOR, Colonel Hakan Soner Aplak, signed the Road Map Agreement 2015 - a plan for training cooperation between the two organizations for 2016 and 2017, in Camp Butmir.

Road Map Agreement 2015 (RMA15)

The RMA15 is a planning document that will serve as a reference for future cooperation between EUFOR and the AF BiH. It is the result of previous (2014) assessments from both sides on how to improve the CB&T activities and on how to coordinate the planning of training for the upcoming years. Colonel Hakan Soner APLAK, DCOS CB&T, said: “This document is very important to see our way ahead to our common future.”

Armed Forces of BiH take over more responsibilities

Colonel Branko RAŠETA, said: “EUFOR and AFBIH really understand each other and for that I’d like to thank you!” In order to achieve a self-sustainable training system for the AF BiH and to train AF BiH to international standards, with the capability to participate in Euro/Atlantic structures, AF BiH will take over more responsibility by engaging already trained AF BiH personnel, and allowing EUFOR to mentor, monitor and assist its activities. Besides the training areas where cooperation already exists, other new ones have been identified such as, “Specific training of AF BiH Military Police on forensic techniques” and “Mountain Techniques for Natural Disaster Relief Operations” in which there could be cooperation in the future.

EUFOR is arming with knowledge

EUFOR’s contribution to building up the capacity of the AF BiH is an essential element of the EU’s efforts in BiH.