Marking 30 years since the signing of the historic Dayton Peace Agreement - which ended the bloody Bosnian war of the 1990s - the Security Council today stressed its unwavering support for what is now the sovereign, independent, multi-ethnic State of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In a presidential statement read out by the representative of Slovenia (to be issued as document S/PRST/2025/8 ) in his capacity as President for the month of December, the 15-member Council recalled the signing of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Annexes in Dayton, Ohio, on 21 November 1995, and its formal signature in Paris on 14 December 1995.
Recalling that Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two entities - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska - as well as the Brčko District, the Council underlined the importance of safeguarding the rights of Bosniacs, Croats, Serbs and others, and stressed the ongoing need to resolve differences through dialogue and consensus.
In that vein, the Council called on leaders at all levels to refrain from divisive rhetoric or actions, avoid confrontation, respect the rule of law and uphold the Dayton Agreement. It stressed the need to advance reconciliation, foster trust among communities and promote social cohesion, while noting that Bosnia and Herzegovina has achieved significant progress in the last three decades.
Council members also noted the importance of stability in the Western Balkans and welcomed the continued presence of the European Union Force Althea - authorized under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter - which was established in 2004 to help local authorities uphold the Dayton Agreement.
Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here .
