33 years ago, BiH became a UN member

(Patria) - Bosnia and Herzegovina became a member of the United Nations on May 22, 1992 (Resolution 757), thus becoming a contracting party to all conventions and agreements ratified by the SFRY as its successor. The flag of RBiH was then raised in front of the UN building in New York.

The relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations are conditioned by the current international political and economic situation, which is directed by monitoring and actively participating in resolving international crises, UN bodies of which BiH is a member, then potential elections to bodies for which BiH is a candidate, as well as the dynamics of work in those bodies.

Political issues are mainly related to monitoring the work of the Security Council, as well as the Assembly and its committees.

The following issues discussed at the 61st session of the General Assembly are of particular importance to Bosnia and Herzegovina:

- the situation in the country;

- maintenance of international peace - good-neighborly relations, stability and development in Southeastern Europe;

- the fight against terrorism;

- human rights and humanitarian issues;

- international law, the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia;

- conflict prevention in the world and peacekeeping;

- disarmament;

- the fight against AIDS:

- UN financing - BiH's debt to the UN after gaining independence;

- the situation in the Middle East - Iraq, Israel and Palestine;

- candidacies - elections to UN bodies and organs.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the same time, actively participates in regular coordination activities of groups of countries within the UN: Eastern European Group, Central European Initiative, Group of 77 and China, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as potential EU member states.

From an object of international policy, BiH is gradually taking on the role of an active participant in resolving international problems.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is involved in peacekeeping operations around the world, and is a member of numerous UN bodies, active in organizing conferences and other multilateral activities.

In accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter, as well as the final document of the 2005 World Summit, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) was established as an intergovernmental, advisory body responsible to the UN Security Council, whose work focuses on post-conflict peacebuilding.

In December 2005, BiH nominated its candidacy for membership in this body and thus, for the first time since becoming a UN member, faced the process of intensive lobbying for one of the UN bodies, going through elections.

The positive reaction to the candidacy was conveyed by a number of UN member states, who welcomed the efforts to change BiH's image through a legitimate request for more active participation in international affairs, primarily within the UN system.

BiH has decided to continue with a new proactive approach regarding candidacies of BiH, i.e., experts from BiH for membership in UN bodies: ECOSOC, PBC, UN human rights committees such as the Committee Against Torture (CAT), Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families (CMW), Human Rights Committee (CHR), Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), etc.