Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Foreign Policy .. Multilateral Relations .. BiH and UN .. Committee of the Rights of the Child
BiH and UN
BiH and UN

Bosnia and Herzegovina became the member of the United Nations on May 22, 1992 (Resolution 757). As a successor of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), Bosnia and Herzegovina became the contractual party in all conventions and agreements ratified by SFRY. Bosnia and Herzegovina participates in the work of the United Nations through the Standing Representative Offices in New York, Geneva, and Vienna as well as in UNESCO in Paris.

Relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations are predetermined by up-to-date international political and economy situation influenced by monitoring and active participation in resolving international crises, taking part in the UN bodies in which Bosnia and Herzegovina is a member. Potential selection in the bodies for which Bosnia and Herzegovina is running as a candidate also plays part in this, as well as dynamics of work in these bodies. Political issues mostly relate to monitoring of work of the Security Council as well as Assembly and its boards. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, the following issues discussed at the 61st meeting of the General Assembly, are of high importance:   

  • Situation in the country;
  • Maintenance of international security  –good neighborly relations, stability and development in the South Eastern Europe;
  • Fight against terrorism;
  • Human rights and humanitarian issues;
  • International law, International Criminal Court, International Criminal for the former Yugoslavia;
  • Prevention of conflicts in the world and peace maintaining;
  • Disarmament;
  • Fight against AIDS:
  • UN financing: the issue of BiH debts towards the UN after acquiring independence;
  • Situation at the Near East – Iraq, Israel and Palestine;
  • Candidacy –elections to bodies of UN;

At the same time, Bosnia and Herzegovina takes active participation in regular coordination activities of the groups of countries within the UN: East European Group (BIH representative is currently presiding over this Group), Central European Initiative, Group 77 and China, Organization of Islamic Conference as well as countries, potential candidates for the EU.

From being the object of international politics, Bosnia and Herzegovina is gradually moving towards taking over the role of active participant in resolving international problems. Bosnia and Herzegovina is included in peace operations worldwide: in Ethiopia-Eritrea, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a member of many UN bodies. It is active in organizing conferences and other multilateral activities. In strengthening the responsibilities, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the member of the United Nations highlighted the candidacy for inconstant member of the Security Council, in the mandate 2010/2011, at elections to be held during General Assembly meeting in 2009.

The Peace Building Commission (PBC) was formed as inter-state advisory body, in line with provisions of the United Nations Charter as well as in line with final documents of the World Summit 2005. It will be responsible to the UN Security Council. Its work is focused to post-conflict peace building. In December 2005, Bosnia and Herzegovina announced the candidacy for becoming a member of this body, and for the first time since it became the UN member, it faced the process of intensive lobbying for one of the UN bodies, by going to the elections. Positive feedback was given by many UN member countries that welcomed efforts made in changing the image of Bosnia and Herzegovina by placing the legitimate request for more active participation in international affairs, mainly in the UN system.

Bosnia and Herzegovina decided to keep on with new proactive approach in terms of BiH candidacy, i.e. experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina running for the candidacy in the UN bodies: ECOSOC, PBC, UN Committees for protection of human rights, such as : CAT- Committee Against Torture, CERD –Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, CEDAW- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, CMW –Committee Migrant Workers, CHR-Commission on Human Rights, CRC –Convention on the Right of the Child  and other bodies of the UN.