Bosnian Defence Minister Sifet Podzic and his associates met on Tuesday with a delegation representing the US Army Inspector General Agency led by Inspector General, Lt General Donna W. Martin.

The minister informed the US delegation about the current activities within the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in light of the current political situation in the country, difficulties related to securing the defence budget, as well as other challenges that the defence institutions have been facing recently.

Podzic expressed his gratitude to the US Government for financial assistance in the implementation of several projects in BiH, which relate to the process of modernisation and capacity building of the the Bosnian Armed Forces through the purchase of new helicopters, HAMWEE multipurpose military motor vehicles, as well as training and education of the AF member in the US.

He praised the overall assistance and support of the US Army in the segment represented by Inspector General Martin and expressed special gratitude for the support in establishing and developing the structure and institution of the Inspectorate General.

Martin expressed satisfaction with the visit to the institution, expressing also full support for the work of the BiH Ministry of Defence, and she particularly referred to the openness to cooperation in the part related to the General Inspectorate in terms of further strengthening this segment in the defence system.

She expressed the commitment of the US Army Inspector General Agency to continue the training projects for AF BiH inspectors in the future, either through virtual programmes or training of the Bosnian inspectors in the training facilities of the US Command for Europe in Germany.

The US Army Inspector General Agency delegation is visiting the MoD and AF BiH as a part of their participation in the 16th Conference of the General Inspectorate of the BiH MoD and Inspectors in Commands and Units of the BiH AF to be held in Sarajevo on May 24 and 25.