Bosnia and Herzegovina marks 30 years of Dayton Accord while seeking new high representative

An academic conference in Sarajevo and the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina launched a volume reviewing three decades of the Dayton Peace Agreement. Scholars highlighted the agreement’s role in ending the war and establishing institutions such as the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also noted enduring constitutional flaws, political blockades and the need for accelerated reforms to advance EU and NATO membership. The publication proposes a broad expert group to draft constitutional reforms and stresses the importance of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and the EU Special Representative in supporting the process.

Germany’s foreign ministry reiterated the urgency of appointing a new European‑schooled high representative after Christian Schmidt’s resignation in May 2026. Talks within the Peace Implementation Council have stalled due to differing US and European candidate preferences, with a further PIC board session scheduled for late June in Sarajevo. German officials emphasized that a consensus‑based appointment is crucial for maintaining continuity of the OHR’s civilian implementation of the Dayton framework.