Political & Fiscal Department
The OHR Political and Fiscal Department provides advice to the High Representative on civilian peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this role it engages with a wide range of domestic and international interlocutors, including state, entity and intergovernmental institutions.
The Political and Fiscal Department serves as a focal point for coordinating international policy making in BiH, as well as for planning and implementation within OHR itself. The department is organised in four sections.
The Strategy and Planning Section provides background briefings, political analysis and advice on strategic options to the High Representative and his deputies. It also advises on general strategy and policy implementation.
The Government and Parliamentary Section liaises with BiH’s state and entity parliaments and governments, tracking legislation from the executive to the legislative bodies and lobbying on behalf of laws deemed crucial to the country’s transition towards Euro-Atlantic integration. This section also provides political analysis and briefing materials to the High Representative. The section consists of four small units dealing, respectively, with state institutions, Federation of BiH bodies, and Republika Srpska institutions.
The International Community Liaison Section prepares, together with OHR departments and other international organisations, meetings of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board and the Board of Principals (which brings together the heads of the main international agencies in BiH). The section also provides necessary liaison with these international organisations. In addition, it organises the High Representative’s visits abroad and makes arrangements for dignitaries coming to BiH.
The POL/MIL Section provides strategic policy advice on security-sector reform to the High Representative and his deputies. The section is responsible for supervising two of OHR’s key projects, defence and intelligence reform, as well as for offering political and practical support in securing their realisation.
Economic unit
The Economic Unit advises the High Representative on developments related to the functionality and sustainability of Dayton institutions and on matters defined under the HR’s mandate and the 5+2 agenda. The Economic Unit maintains reporting, analytical and advisory role, and provides factual, comprehensive and strategic advice and support to the High Representative and the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board.
Security Sector Advisory Unit
Under the auspices of Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the High Representative maintains the Security Sector Advisory Unit (SSAU) to provide in-house political analysis and advice on the functioning of Dayton institutions in the fields of political-military affairs, defence, intelligence, and public security/law enforcement. Specifically the Unit monitors institutional stability and other developments in the above-mentioned fields that could adversely affect the political climate; provides in-house staff work on ad hoc issues requiring the attention of the High Representative; performs in-house analysis and processes information on serious security incidents that could raise political tensions or impact negatively on Dayton implementation. In line with the High Representative’s coordination function, SSAU maintains an extensive network of contacts with relevant domestic institutions and key multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies active in BiH.
Department for Legal Affairs
The Department for Legal Affairs (the Department) consists of a team of national and international lawyers who engage in legal matters across the spectrum of civilian implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP) including, but not limited to public law, constitutional, criminal, administrative, and fiscal law issues. It functions as a legal service for all other departments of the OHR and is the main source of authoritative legal advice to the High Representative and his deputies.
The Department bears a particular weight of responsibility in light of the burden which is placed upon the High Representative under Article V of Annex 10 to the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (GFAP), as the final authority in theatre regarding interpretations of the Agreement on Civilian Implementation of the Peace Settlement. It also provides legal advice on decisions previously enacted by High Representatives as well as on other international and domestic law matters. The Department is often called to analyze draft legal acts that have the potential to challenge the GFAP.
The Department also works closely with domestic institutions at all levels and the wider International Community, in particular to the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board and the Board of Principals on various legal matters.
The Department also maintains a Database of legal materials, producing periodic reports on the status of pending legislation, and maintaining relations with the Official Gazettes with a view to promoting the timely publication of legal enactment, preparing for publishing of the High Representative Decisions and other issues.
Strategic Communication and Press Department
The Strategic Communication and Press Department presents the High Representative’s and OHR’s policies through interviews and briefings, press conferences, press releases and articles, and responds to inquiries from the local and international media. The aim is to provide the public with comprehensive information and thereby generate understanding and support for the implementation of the GFAP, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad. The Strategic Communication and Press Department also publishes essential texts relating to the GFAP, maintains the OHR web site and social media platforms, and runs public information campaigns to inform the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina about their rights and duties, and to promote reconciliation, tolerance, good governance, and the civic society.
Resources and Transformation Department
The Resources and Transformation Department provides the necessary support infrastructure for the activities and objectives of the OHR and is responsible for the management of all financial, physical, and human resources within the OHR.
The Department ensures that the OHR conforms to management and financial policies and procedures approved by the PIC Steering Board.
The Resources and Transformation Department comprises:
– Finance Section
– Human Resources Section (including Translation Unit)
– IT Section
– Logistics Section
– Security Section