Bosnia and Herzegovina Still Holds Over 4,500 Tons of Ammunition and Explosives for Destruction
The 26th Strategic Committee session, supported by OSCE and international partners, highlighted progress but warned of ongoing post-war demilitarization challenges.
Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to face a significant challenge in dealing with surplus weapons and ammunition stockpiles, with more than 4,500 tons of ammunition and explosive ordnance still awaiting destruction.
At the 26th Session of the Strategic Committee for Weapons, Ammunition, and Explosive Ordnance (NMiMES) — held under the organization of the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the support of the OSCE Mission to BiH — participants discussed the progress and remaining challenges in safely managing and destroying surplus military stockpiles. The meeting took place at the Armed Forces House in Sarajevo.
Brigadier General Zoran Galic, who addressed the session, emphasized that while significant progress has been made, the scale of remaining stockpiles still poses logistical and safety concerns.
“A lot remains to be done when it comes to destroying surplus weapons. There are still about 4,500 tons of ammunition and explosive ordnance. However, we can be satisfied with this year’s results — over 73 tons of surplus ammunition and explosives were destroyed,” Galic said.
He announced that the next session of the Committee will be held in March 2026, under the organization of UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina, and reiterated the importance of international cooperation in strengthening ammunition storage and disposal infrastructure.
The session brought together representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of BiH, alongside OSCE, UNDP, European Union, NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, and EUFOR. Diplomats from the United States, Switzerland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria, and Sweden also participated as partner observers, reaffirming continued international support for Bosnia’s security and defense reform processes.
Despite notable progress, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s remaining 4,500 tons of ammunition underline the complexity of post-war demilitarization and safety management. With aging stockpiles posing both safety and environmental risks, sustained international engagement — particularly from NATO, the EU, and OSCE — remains essential to ensure that these remnants of war are safely and permanently eliminated.
