Zvizdić also attending: Munich Security Conference opened by German and US defence ministers

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dr. Denis Zvizdić, is attending the 53rd International Security Conference, which is being held under tight security measures in Munich. Around 500 leading world politicians are participating in the conference, who will discuss over the next two days political and security issues related to future transatlantic relations and the NATO alliance, security and defence cooperation within the European Union, the crisis in Ukraine and relations with Russia. The focus will also be on topics concerning terrorism, cyber warfare and threats related to global health and climate, Patria reports.

The conference was opened by the Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, and at the beginning of the conference, addresses were given by the German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen and US Defence Minister James Mattis.

Among others present at the conference are US Vice President Mike Pence, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, President of the European Council Donald Tusk, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, as well as numerous heads of state and government.

In addition to high political officials, the conference is also attended by Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, and the founder of the ONE organisation and singer Bono Vox.

The Munich Security Conference has been held since 1962 and does not produce binding documents or conclusions, but it is considered a venue where leading world politicians meet, negotiate and hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the conference.