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Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) - US Relations

In Bosnia, as in Kosovo, the US and the EU seem uninterested in curbing Russian influence; instead, they have sought to accommodate Moscow-backed militant nationalists. Why? Jasmin Mujanovic, a political scientist focusing on the politics of the contemporary Western Balkans, argues "... the West has concluded that it is not worth the time or effort to confront people like Vucic, Dodik, or Covic in a region as peripheral to its interests as the Western Balkans. The US and the EU have instead opted for a kind of Kabuki policy, maintaining a performative posture of opposition to militant nationalists but expending political and diplomatic capital to help them achieve their aims in the fleeting hope that this will pacify them."

The 1992-95 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was ended with the crucial participation of the United States in brokering the 1995 Dayton Accords. After leading the diplomatic and military effort to secure the Dayton agreement, the United States has continued to lead the effort to ensure its implementation. The United States maintains command of the NATO headquarters in Sarajevo. The United States has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to help with reconstruction, humanitarian assistance, economic development, and military reconstruction in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has played a large role in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina, including programs in economic development and reform, democratic reform (media, elections), infrastructure development, and training programs for Bosnian professionals, among others. Additionally, there are many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have likewise played significant roles in the reconstruction.

The United States established diplomatic relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 following its independence from Yugoslavia. A period of conflict followed among Bosnia’s Muslims, Croats, and Serbs, some of whom wished to remain part of Yugoslavia. The 1992-95 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was ended with the crucial participation of the United States in brokering the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. After leading the diplomatic and military effort to secure the Dayton accords, the United States has continued to lead the effort to ensure its implementation. The United States maintains command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Sarajevo. It also has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to help with reconstruction, humanitarian assistance, economic development, and military reconstruction in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The United States supports Bosnia and Herzegovina on its path toward full integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. The country's progress toward Euro-Atlantic structures--and the democratic, economic, and security commitments that this entails--are essential to the broader stability of the western Balkans. Bosnia and Herzegovina is working toward activation of its Membership Action Plan with NATO and has signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union. U.S. Government assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina aims to fully anchor the country in European and Euro-Atlantic institutions, strengthen multi-ethnic democratic institutions and civil society, support strong State-level judiciary and law enforcement sectors, and increase prosperity and attractiveness to foreign investors.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a transitional economy that is pursuing membership in the European Union and the World Trade Organization. More than 40 U.S. and U.S.-affiliated companies have established a full-time presence in the country. Bosnia and Herzegovina has been designated as a beneficiary country under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, under which a range of products that Bosnia and Herzegovina might seek to export are eligible for duty-free entry to the United States. The GSP program provides an incentive for investors to produce in Bosnia and Herzegovina and export selected products duty-free to the U.S. market.

Continuing US military and security relationship plays a vital role in Bosnia, where defense reform has been the most successful and meaningful reform since the Dayton Peace Accords and one critical to security and confidence in the Bosnian state. Political-military engagement has the dual purpose of outlining for Bosnia's leaders the reforms necessary to make progress towards their goal of NATO membership and to promote the perception that the United States, having made a tremendous investment in Bosnia's security since ending the war in 1995.

USG programs in Peace and Security strengthen BiH‘s ability to combat terrorism, address trafficking in persons, safeguard its borders, progress on defense issues and promote tolerance. Department of Defense programs strengthen state-level Bosnia defense institutions, develop capabilities at the tactical level, and help BiH advance on the path toward NATO accession. Department of Justice/ICITAP builds stronger cooperation among law enforcement agencies, improves judicial systems, and builds more capable police and intelligence services in BiH. The Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program involves several complementary assistance efforts to increase BiH‘s ability to check ongoing proliferation concerns: legal and regulatory, enforcement, licensing, industry outreach, and interagency cooperation.

The Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC)‘s security assistance and other support includes, but is not limited to, foreign military sales of U.S. defense equipment, services and training, management of the budget account for Foreign Military Financing, International Military Education and Training grant funding, the Combating Terrorism Fellowship Program, the Global Peace Operations Initiative, Counter-Threat Reduction and Warsaw Initiative Funding. Additionally, these offices oversee military-to-military programs and play a key role in the State Partnership Program - an initiative that partners countries with states within the United States. Department of Justice programs work with BiH law enforcement agencies to increase their capacity to combat terrorism and organized crime. State Department‘s Office of Public Affairs promotes civic education, cultural and educational exchanges, and provides small grants for civil society.