We showed we are ready: NATO field exercise "BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 2017" successfully concluded

With a formal ceremony, the NATO field exercise “BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 2017“ officially concluded today, which was held from September 25 to 29, 2017, in the vicinity of Tuzla. The exercise, organized by the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the NATO Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC), gathered around 1300 participants from 34 countries.

 During the ceremony, the participants and guests were addressed by the Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dragan Mektić, and Wolf Dieter Roepke, Head of the NATO Civil Emergency Planning Directorate.

Minister Mektić assessed that after five days of exercise and much longer preparations, it can be said that the exercise was successful and that the primary goal was achieved, which is strengthening mutual cooperation, as evidenced by the sincere desire and readiness for cooperation among teams and observers from 35 countries.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina also achieved two major goals. We showed that we can successfully coordinate and cooperate between different protection and rescue services. On the other hand, we showed that we have the capacity and are ready to participate in rescue operations outside of BiH in cooperation with teams from other countries,” said Mektić.

In previous years, NATO EADRCC has organized several exercises, but this is the first such exercise held in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it stood out from others due to its complexity and scope. The field part of the exercise took place at 8 locations in the vicinity of Tuzla, where protection and rescue teams from 35 countries carried out rescue operations for 4 different scenarios.

Wolf Dieter Roepke, Head of the NATO Civil Emergency Planning Directorate, speaking about the importance of such exercises, reminded those present of the mission of the exercise and the mission of EADRCC. “It is a mission of saving lives, and these are not just words. In a crisis situation, time and effective coordination are of key importance. What you have done here will truly be crucial for people's lives in cases of real disaster,” said Roepke.

He added that exercises help ensure the saving of lives through timely and effective multinational coordination. As the host of this exercise, Bosnia and Herzegovina has dedicated itself to an important need of the people in this country and the region, and by doing so, it enhances the security of people in the Euro-Atlantic area.

The closing ceremony of the NATO disaster response exercise “BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 2017” concluded with the awarding of certificates to participants from 35 countries.