High-Level Delegation from the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining Visits the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH

The Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dubravka Bošnjak, received a high-level delegation from the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), led by Ambassador Tobias Privitelli.

Minister Bošnjak expressed her gratitude to GICHD for its long-standing support and emphasized the importance of further cooperation aimed at creating a safer and more prosperous environment for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The meeting focused on finalizing and improving the revised Bosnia and Herzegovina Anti-Mine Strategy for the period 2025-2027, as well as the implementation of the conclusions of the Council of Ministers of BiH regarding the development of a comprehensive demining action plan. The plan outlines the necessary resources and timeline for the completion of demining activities.

During the meeting, it was noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina, unfortunately, remains contaminated by mines even 28 years after the war. The mine-suspected area of Bosnia and Herzegovina was around 4,200 square kilometres in 1999, of which 3,370.13 square kilometres have been cleared, leaving about 843 square kilometres, or approximately 1,65 % of the country’s territory, still contaminated by mines as of early 2025.

In order to meet international obligations, including those under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, BiH authorities and international partners emphasized the importance of maintaining an ambitious approach through continuous efforts in the demining process.

Based on these findings, projections were made for the demining of 75 square kilometres of land annually in 2025 and 2026, which serves as the basis for planning the completion of demining activities in the remaining mine-suspected areas by 2034.

Minister Bošnjak stated that it is necessary to make realistic plans, something that has not been the case so far, so that a feasible timeline can be established for when BiH will be free of mines.

She added that the Ministry of Civil Affairs aims to accelerate these processes by revising the Demining Strategy and amending the Law on Demining.

Additionally, she reminded that the Ministry has resumed the procedure for adopting a new Law on Demining in order to improve the demining process in BiH.