PIC Steering Board convenes in Sarajevo to discuss new High Representative appointment

The session of the PIC Steering Board is taking place at the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Member states are set to evaluate multiple candidates for the role. The selection process does not require a consensus among the members of the PIC Steering Board. A candidate can be elected upon receiving the necessary backing from the member states, and the consultation and decision-making process can be repeated until an agreement on a single candidate is reached.

This two-day meeting carries significant weight as it coincides with ongoing discussions regarding the future role of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, and the application of the Bonn powers that characterized Christian Schmidt's mandate.

The PIC Steering Board comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, the European Commission, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, represented by Turkey.

The Russian Federation remains a formal member of the Steering Board. However, in July 2021, Russia informed the OHR that it would no longer participate in meetings chaired by the High Representative, followed by an announcement in February 2022 that it was suspending its financing of the OHR.

The PIC session takes place amid intensifying discussions regarding the future of international oversight in Bosnia and Herzegovina.