Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) land release output decreased by 40% from 2022 and it did not meet its land release target for the year. BiH is not on course to complete clearance by its current Article 5 deadline and is planning to request a new deadline once it has completed a review of its National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025, which after much delay finally started in 2024. At only 0.368km², mine clearance in 2023 was the lowest on record for BiH.

Progress in land release in BiH over the past five years has been significantly slower than planned. Only one third of the anti-personnel (AP) mined area planned for release between 2020 and 2023 has been achieved. BiH is now facing the need to submit a fourth request to extend its Article 5 deadline. To complete clearance within the next ten years, BiH must drastically increase the amount of land cancelled through non-technical survey (NTS), particularly since recent systematic surveys have shown that 90% of mined areas can be cancelled in this manner. That said, BiH still lacks a credible baseline of contamination, as most of the areas remain classified as suspected hazardous areas (SHAs). By significantly enhancing coordination with donors and operators and by ramping up clearance, BiH can fulfil its Article 5 obligations without the need for a fifth Article 5 extension.

• The BiH Mine Action Centre (BHMAC) should promptly establish a revised completion deadline that is both achievable and realistic and develop a detailed and costed multiyear work plan with attainable and measurable milestones.
• The amended demining law drafted in 2017, which had still to be adopted as of writing, should be revised and re-submitted to Parliament for adoption.
• BiH should strengthen the governance and management of its mine action programme by improving communication and coordination with operators and other key stakeholders, including through the re-establishment of a “Country Coalition” and technical working groups (TWGs).
• BHMAC should adopt international best practice in land release and ensure that operators can use NTS to confirm and delineate areas of actual contamination prior to clearance and be empowered to cancel areas that do not contain mines.
• BHMAC should finalise implementation of the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) Core, ensuring that all data is accurate and up to date before migration.
• BHMAC should detail the steps it plans to take to effectively mainstream gender and diversity within its mine action programme and improve gender balance in the sector, at the least by meeting the target of 40% female staff set by the 2003 Law on Gender Equality.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2024" report for Bosnia and Herzegovina.