EUFOR Commander of Operation ALTHEA, Major General Helmut Habermayer presided over an official flag raising ceremony to welcome Sweden as a troop contributing nations of EUFOR.

The ceremony was held the day after the 28th anniversary of the initialing of the Dayton Peace Agreement and is a poignant demonstration of the continued commitment of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), EUFOR said in a statement.

The Swedish flag now represents the 23rd nation to pledge support to the authorities and citizens of BiH in maintaining a safe and secure environment.

Elin Fredriksson, the first secretary of the Embassy of Sweden to BiH, addressed the ceremony and proudly stated that Sweden is committed to “further strengthen the EU common security and defence policy”. The first secretary also noted the long history and deep cultural links between the countries with approximately “100,000 people of Bosnian descent currently living in Sweden.”

EUFOR commander major general Helmut Habermayer in his speech during the ceremony stated that “the presence of Sweden here is symbolic of the allegiance and will of all European nations” and noted the “proud record of peacekeeping across the globe”.

EUFOR is a strong, capable and reliable partner to the BiH and remains committed in supporting the authorities of BiH in maintaining a safe and secure environment, the Mission concluded.