In order to meet the basic needs of Bosnian citizens, the political elite in the country needs to focus on a programme which is steered toward the future, Bosnia’s international administrator, Valentin Inzko, said as he met with US State Department Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer and First US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Maureen Cormack in Washington on Tuesday.

The Austrian diplomat who serves as Bosnia's High Representative – the international official overseeing the civilian implementation of the 1995 Dayton Agreement which ended the war – is to present his semi-annual report on the situation in Bosnia to the UN Security Council on November 5 in New York.

Given that more than a year had passed since the general election, the High Representative discussed the need to urgently complete the process of forming the government formation at all levels in Bosnia, while taking into account the country’s international obligations.

Inzko highlighted the frequent challenging of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina by politicians, stressing the need for all to fully respect the Dayton Peace Agreement and especially the need to improve the overall functioning of state institutions and strengthen the rule of law, according to the Office of the High Representative (OHR).

”In order to meet the essential needs of Bosnia’s citizens, the political elite must focus on a programme which is steered toward the future. Political stability and economic development, together with the strengthening of Bosnia’s institutional capacities, including in ​​the rule of law, are prerequisites for a prosperous future,” Inzko said.

“The international community is ready to assist Bosnia in its efforts toward steered toward creating a better future,” he added.

During his stay in New York, the High Representative will also meet with several Permanent Representatives at the UN, as well as representatives of the academic community and civil society.