Relations between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) display a strong presence in political, social and cultural field. Our country represents the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council, established with the aim to mobilize the support of the international community for BiH’s political order, set by the Dayton Peace Accord. In addition to supporting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and multiethnic structure of BiH, Turkey strives for improvement of BiH’s economic development, closely follows the reform process in BiH, contributes to steps taken forward and gives strong support to BiH in its efforts to complete the integration with European and Euro-Atlantic institutions (EU and NATO) as soon as possible.

In the context of its participation in international peace operations, our country also provides military support to the EUFOR-ALTHEA operation, which is an EU peacekeeping force in BiH that runs joint activities with NATO. In this framework, the Turkish Mission constitutes the second largest group within the scope of the said operation.

The excellent relations between Turkey and BiH are reinforced with intensive mutual high-level visits. Moreover, the Turkey-BiH-Serbia and Turkey-BiH-Croatia tripartite mechanisms constitute important elements of our cooperation.

Aware that development and stability in the Balkans need to go hand in hand with economic development, Turkey attaches great importance to further improvement of bilateral economic and trade relations with BiH. There is a willingness to move the said relations forward shown in strengthening of the legal framework and contacts of representatives of the real sector of both countries.

Apart from this, Turkey supports BiH in its efforts to use its own resources and take steps to create employment. In this context, our country has established a €100 million credit line to encourage the process of return in BiH, and a €50 million credit line to support new employment projects both of which are implemented through Ziraat Bank BiH.

Turkey also, through Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency TİKA, engages in many development projects in various areas throughout BiH.