Senior Trump administration official visits Bosnia ahead of Srebrenica genocide commemoration

Hanrahan, who serves as Senior Bureau Official at the US Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, was welcomed in Sarajevo by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konakovic.

“At a time of important anniversaries, commemorating the victims of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, marking 30 years since the Dayton Peace Agreement, and considering key decisions for the future of the Western Balkans, we reaffirm our shared commitment to peace, stability, justice, development, collaboration, and shared prosperity, together with our friend and partner, the United States,” Konakovic stated after the meeting.

Ahead of his visit, Hanrahan emphasised the significance of the moment for the region.

“I am headed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Kosovo following productive conversations in Dayton and Washington,” Hanrahan wrote on X. “It is an important anniversary and a pivotal time in the Western Balkans. I look forward to reinforcing ties between the US and countries in the region.”

Hanrahan's visit underscores Washington’s continued diplomatic engagement in the Western Balkans, particularly as the region commemorates the most tragic chapter of the 1992–1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This year, seven victims of the Srebrenica genocide will be laid to rest at the Potocari Memorial Centre, where thousands are expected to gather to honour their memory. Over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were systematically murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995, an act of genocide confirmed by international courts.