Today, COM EUFOR Major General László Sticz, alongside Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Commander NATO HQ Sarajevo, B.G. McGaha, attended the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NATO headquarters Sarajevo, EUFOR and the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the operating framework for the Peace Support Operations Training Centre (PSOTC) in Camp Butmir.

PSOTC performs individual education and training of military personnel, police officers and civilians from BiH and other countries in domain of PSO-focused collective security operations, in order to contribute to development of BiH MoD and Armed Forces capabilities for participation in NATO, UN or EU—led collective security operations, thus supporting the overall BiH contribution to international peace and security.

The intent of this Memorandum is to underline the arrangement for the use of specific property within Camp Butmir by the PSOTC, whether it be property of the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, NATO Headquarters Sarajevo or EUFOR. It also establish the procedures, security arrangements, responsibilities, organizational and financial arrangements to be observed by the parties regarding the use of facilities, services and logistics support to be provided to the PSOTC within Camp Butmir. In addition it also provides an appropriate framework for cooperation which could result in subsequent agreements that the Parties may deem necessary.

During the signing ceremony COM EUFOR stated that he is ‘strongly convinced that it is not only the opportunity but the obligation of EUFOR and other international actors to support this PSOTC in Camp Butmir so they can continue their invaluable work in training, educating and preparing members of AFBiH and partner nations for peace support operations. This way, PSOTC supports Bosnia and Herzegovina to become a security provider, and this effort is shared by EUFOR and NATO, too.’

The duration of the MoU is 5 years and it may be extended further if mutually agreed in writing by the Parties.