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The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Friday to extend the European Union's military peacekeeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina for another 12 months, maintaining an international security presence that has operated in the Balkan nation for more than two decades.
The 15-member council adopted Resolution 2795, authorizing member states working with or through the EU to continue the multinational stabilization force known as EUFOR-Althea through Nov. 2026.
Greece, which drafted the resolution, emphasized the mission's continued importance in the region.
"Since its establishment in 2004, EUFOR-Althea has played an indispensable role in safeguarding security and stability in Bosnia Herzegovina," Aglaia Balta, Greece's permanent representative to the U.N., told the council.
The peacekeeping force operates under a mandate to support implementation of military provisions in the Dayton Agreement, the 1995 peace accord that ended the Bosnian War. That conflict, which lasted from 1992 to 1995, left an estimated 100,000 people dead and displaced millions.
The EU launched Operation Althea in December 2004, taking over peacekeeping responsibilities from NATO, which had maintained security in Bosnia since the war's end. NATO's mission began in 1995 with approximately 60,000 troops and gradually reduced its presence as stability improved.
When EUFOR assumed command 20 years ago, about 7,000 troops transferred from NATO to the new EU-led operation. The transition marked the EU's first major military operation under its Common Security and Defence Policy.
Today, the force maintains approximately 1,100 troops from 22 contributing nations, including Austria, France, Türkiye and the Czech Republic. The mission operates from Camp Butmir in Sarajevo and maintains 19 liaison and observation teams in cities across Bosnia, including Banja Luka, Tuzla and Mostar.
Major General Florin-Marian Barbu of Romania currently commands the operation, which he assumed in Jan. 2024.
EUFOR's presence expanded in 2022 when the EU deployed an additional 500 reserve troops amid heightened regional tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, bringing total strength from around 600 to its current level.
The mission's primary focus has evolved from active peacekeeping to capacity building, training Bosnian armed forces, supporting disaster relief efforts and monitoring the security environment. In November 2024, EUFOR and Bosnia's armed forces signed a cooperation plan for 2025 outlining joint training activities and assistance to local authorities.
The force continues to conduct annual military exercises focused on rapid response capabilities and interoperability with Bosnian forces and international partners.
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