CRS History in Bosnia-Herzegovina

In March of 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina was among the last of the republics from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to declare independence, sparking a brutal war that eventually pitted Croat, Serb and Bosniak (or Bosnian Muslim) citizens against each other. The ensuing conflict took a devastating toll in human lives and infrastructure damage. Approximately 250,000 people were killed, over 200,000 wounded and 13,000 permanently disabled among all ethnic groups. By the time the war ended with the signing of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in November 1995, more than half the population of 4.4 million was displaced, with more than 1 million refugees and over 1 million internally displaced. Over 670,000 mines were laid in an area covering more than 4 percent of the country’s territory. These mines continue to claim lives every year.

The Framework Agreement for Peace, otherwise known as the Dayton Accords, established an administrative structure with one central state government comprised of two separate and distinct entities — the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, with 51 percent and 49 percent of the land area respectively. The agreement also included measures to facilitate the return of those displaced by the war. By the end of 2004, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had celebrated the return of 1 million refugees and displaced people to their prewar homes in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Although recovery over the past years has been significant, the current situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina continues to present a wide variety of challenges. By the end of the war, economic production had fallen by more than 90 percent and the country still has not resumed production at prewar levels. In 2004, Bosnia-Herzegovina was ranked 66th of 177 countries in the United Nations Development Program's 2004 Human Development Report. Nearly 20 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and another 30 percent could also be classified as poor.

Combating corruption, fostering ethnic tolerance, and overhauling the education system remain challenges. As Bosnia-Herzegovina aspires toward membership in the European Union, ongoing support is needed to ensure recovery and peace.