UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
05/05/2016 OHR

Work Together While Fully Respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement

“What lies ahead for Bosnia and Herzegovina will undoubtedly be a challenging period, but the country should be able to navigate through these challenges if all parties work together, while fully respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement,” High Representative, Valentin Inzko told the United Nations Security Council today.

Presenting the 49th report to the UNSC, the High Representative welcomed the historic step that the country made on February 15th when it applied for membership in the European Union. “While the progress achieved by the authorities on the reform agenda is indeed very welcome, let us not lose sight of the need to accelerate the pace of reform,” added the High representative.

Leaders must pull together and show the political will needed to implement a program of serious and accelerated reform. Only then will rule of law be strengthened, functionality improved, investment attracted, jobs created and major progress made in the coming years, said the High Representative, concluding that this year can be a year of progress toward Euro-Atlantic integration, economic growth and job creation, but only if the country pulls together and works as one.

At the end of his speech, the High Representative expressed hope that, in six months, when he is due to present his next report, he will be able to report on marked improvement based on the delivery of concrete results, and on a situation where there is full respect for the Peace Agreement. “This is the surest way forward for Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the High Representative concluded.

Click here for the full text of the High Representative’s speech or the UN report.