OSCE fosters co-operation and networking within security sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The 10th comprehensive course on the security policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina was completed on 6 November 2014, organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Security Ministry and the Council of Ministers Inter-ministerial Working Group for BiH Security Policy.

This year, a special event was held to mark the milestone of the tenth course, gathering together some 150 course alumni from various levels of government, agencies, ministries, and organizations from all past courses.

The first Bosnia and Herzegovina security policy course was held in 2007, and since then the three co-organizers have worked to establish a sustainable program of education to enable various security sector actors to contribute to more effective policy implementation and constructive dialogue on complex and changing security issues.

“These courses have provided a forum where professionals form various sectors can meet and discuss this country’s security policy in practice and the security challenges that Bosnia and Herzegovina faces. The networking that continues after completion of the two weeks spent together is of great importance, since interagency cooperation and cross-sector collaboration are key to a comprehensive approach to security”, said Alexander Chuplygin, Senior Representative of the Head of OSCE Mission.

Participants discussed Euro-Atlantic integration processes, issues of illegal immigration, judicial reform and education and how they relate to security. The course also included visits to military facilities and security agencies in the country, as well as a briefing about the media’s role in security hosted at the Al Jazeera Balkans headquarters.