SARAJEVO, BIH – Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP) J9 Military Partnership Branch met a Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces delegation for an Expert Staff Meeting (ESM) on 22 February 2022.
Attendees included a wide range of representation from the J9 Military Partnership Branch and representatives from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Partnership Directorate (SHAPE PD) and NATO HQ Sarajevo (NHQ Sa).
Brigadier General Marcus Ellermann (ACOS J9) led the NATO team, while the Assistant Minister of Defense for International Cooperation Mr. Zoran Sajinovic led the joint team of the MoD and the Armed Forces of BiH.
In their remarks, Mr Sajinovic and BG Ellermann highlighted the importance of the cooperation between JFCNP and the BIH Armed Forces. The ESM is a partnership activity during which participants review military cooperation goals and objectives, provide two-way information exchange on training events and requirements, develop a more synchronized and practical military cooperation program and facilitate practical cooperation and mutual understanding aimed at growing relationships with the respective Partner Country.
During the meeting, participants reviewed multiple topics to strengthen the relationship between NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Areas of concern mainly focused on the analysis of the potential gap which the pandemic might have created with canceled or postponed activities. It was discussed that using Mobile Training Solutions (MTSs) and small group training to train on specific functions will mitigate the pandemic impact. This included specific training for Land and Air tactical units.
BIH-NATO cooperation comprises a wide range of areas including the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP), the Building Integrity (BI) programme, the Interoperability platform, and the Operational Capability Concept Evaluation and Feedback (OCC E&F) programme. Concerning the latter, it is worth noting that BIH offers the most significant contribution to the Operational Capability Concept Pool of Forces (OCC PoF) with the declaration of a Light Infantry Battalion Group, which encompasses several combat units and combat support units with more than 800 soldiers.
Additionally, BG Ellermann had the opportunity to meet with National, NATO, and EUFOR senior officials, such as Major General Ivica Jerkić (Deputy CHOD for Operations), Major General Anton Wessely (COM EUFOR), Brigadier General Pamela L. McGaha (NHQSa COM) and Colonel Elvedin Omić (COM Peace Support Operations Training Centre). Among other things, the talks were aimed at synchronizing and optimizing training activities to support the development of the Armed Forces of BiH.