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Edward Ferguson

British Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia

Part of UK in Bosnia and Herzegovina

17th October 2014

What is the UK doing in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

When I arrived in Mostar in July for the in-country stage of my language training, almost the first new phrase I learned was ‘teorija zavjere’, or ‘conspiracy theory’. Rather to my bemusement, my teacher showed me a TV programme about a US system called HAARP which, apparently, was not only responsible for the floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but for natural disasters from Haiti to Japan. As we say in the UK, never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

Since I’ve taken up my post as UK Ambassador, I’ve already encountered a number of conspiracy theories about our role here, some of them entertained by people at the highest levels of government. In recent weeks, we have been credited with plotting to restore the Ottoman Empire, masterminding the burning of government buildings in the February riots, and using British troops to influence people’s votes in the General Election.

Of course, it’s all total nonsense. I don’t think anyone really believes it. If we could achieve all that with the 30 people working in the British Embassy, then we should all be in line for a raise! But it got me thinking. We talk a lot about the importance of increased transparency. So I have decided, for the first time, to publish the British Embassy’s objectives. These objectives reflect the UK’s interests in Bosnia and Herzegovina and they guide and shape all our activities in support of them. They are the basis on which our performance and progress is measured, and against which funding is allocated.

The objectives break down into two kinds, as follows:

Four Year Strategic Goals: 2014/15 – 2017/18

  1. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) secures EU candidate status.
  2. BiH is stable, with more functional and accountable Government, lower risk of collapse/conflict, and less need for international support.
  3. The Rule of Law is more entrenched. Judicial institutions function effectively. Serious efforts begin to tackle corruption.
  4. BiH’s NATO Membership Action Plan is activated. BiH Armed Forces continue to develop and to contribute to international peacekeeping operations. 
  5. Better business climate in BiH. More transparent Government decision-making. Increased opportunities for UK companies.

Outcomes for 2014/15

  1. Free and fair elections in 2014, with socio-economic issues and the EU path at the centre of the campaign. New State Government rapidly formed.
  2. EU Coordination Mechanism agreed. Coordinated BiH approach to EU pre-accession (IPA) funding and relevant sub committees.
  3. Support EU’s new economic agenda, including the Compact for Growth and Jobs, working with IFIs to press for progress.
  4. Embassy projects establish mechanisms and develop operational capacity to increase the efficency and public confidence in the judical system.strengthen the independence and management of State judicial institutions. War crimes project leverages EU funding to increase the number of cases processed.
  5. Continued project and lobbying support for preventing conflict-related sexual violence (PSVI) initiative, with the successful roll out of the PSVI Protocol and ongoing work with the judiciary, police, military, NGOs and institutions to enable BiH ownership of the policy.
  6. Support development of civil society, empowering citizens, especially in business, media, NGOs, women and youth to work and engage with local and state-level political processes (working with EU & other partners).
  7. Support BiH’s state and entity anti-corruption strategies, together with EU and other donors, with a focus on practical implementation, e.g. processes and legislation which help tackle corruption and support judiciary.
  8. Support capacity building of the Ministry of Security and security agencies through outreach and projects, to promote better inter-police working and regional co-operation, and to deal with organised crime, corruption and emerging threats to a safe and secure environment.
  9. Establish an effective and transparent Officer Selection and Training process in BiH Armed Forces.
  10. Help UK companies to win business in BiH.

There are a couple more objectives about handling consular cases and managing the Embassy’s money and people, but basically that’s it. That’s what we do. It might not be as interesting as some of the more lavish conspiracy theories but, for my money, it’s a lot more important and worthwhile.

We’re about to start a process to refresh our objectives for next year, so I’d be really interested in your views. Are these objectives too ambitious, or not ambitious enough? Are we focusing on the right things? What could we do less or more of? And how do you assess our progress against the objectives I’ve set out? Please let me know what you think. Meanwhile, I’ll get back to plotting world domination and stroking my fluffy white cat… 

9 comments on “What is the UK doing in Bosnia and Herzegovina?”

  1. 1 Set an agenda for the appropriate parties to initiate an international review of the Dayton Accords aiming to reduce duplication within the administration/s/s (sic) and strengthen interdependence of the ‘entities’- without which all efforts to enter the EU are self defeating
    2 More assistance with mine clearance- it’s a beautiful and accessible country except for the fact that each step off a path is met with ‘pazi mine’ signs.
    3 Recognise the results of the RDC’s (Istraživačko Dokumentacioni Centar) research and offer support for the continuing research programmes.
    4 Explore ways to further assist with the search for the missing.-( ‘rest in peace’ has a profound meaning in this context.)
    5 Explore ways to foster / sponsor educational links between UK corporate and state bodies with schools and staff in BiH particularly with: a/ the use of Information Communications Technology to assist learning and b/ successful models for conflict resolution.

    1. Thanks very much indeed Earle. Lots of important points here and we are actively engaged on a number of them, particularly supporting the work of ICMP. Interesting ideas on education too, which will be decisive over the stability and prosperity of BiH in the medium term.

  2. Dear Ambassador,
    I applaud your blog and in particular the publication of the British Embassy’s objectives. I also want to take this opportunity to announce the objectives of a new website in BiH which will launch within the next week or so.

    Dialogue – BiH2.0 – Dijalog.

    Here’s what its all about. Best wishes, Bruce Hitchner

    Almost two decades after the signing of the Dayton Agreement ending the war, there remains a need to focus on the challenges and opportunities facing Bosnia-Herzegovina, and to report, reflect, and assess what is being done or not being done to resolvethem.

    Dialogue – BiH2.0 – Dijalog is dedicated to helping consolidate liberal and pluralistic democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina through the promotion and support of political accountability, strong and effective governance at all levels, and the rule of law.

    Dialogue BiH2.0 will provide independent, credible, relevant, timely information, and policy analysis designed to catalyze leaders and institutions at all levels to be more responsive, accountable, efficient, just, equitable, and service-oriented to the public they serve.

    Dialogue BiH2.0 is an independent platform where the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina, decision makers, NGOs, the media, businesses, and the international community can go to learn, to think about and to find solutions to the challenges facing the country.

    Dialogue BiH2.0 is committed to promoting Open Policy, Open Information, and Open Government across Bosnia-Herzegovina.

    Dialogue BiH 2.0will focus on five areas which reflect the core challenges and opportunities facing Bosnia- Herzegovina:

    1. Politics
    2. Economy
    3. Education
    4. Energy
    5. EU/NATO

    Each week Dialogue BiH2.0 will aggregate and curate relevant information on each of these areas gathered from news sources, social media, governments, NGOs, policy makers, the international community, and individuals, along with analysis where appropriate.

    In addition, Dialogue BiH2.0 will map-out, visualize, and contextualize trends and developments as they emerge in various formats including infographics, special reports, and interviews.

    And lastly, as Dialogue BiH2.0 expands it will promote Civic-Tech principles by combining the power of technology with civic activities to strengthen democracy at all levels of society. This means introducing a range of tools, directories, and applications for the purpose of connecting users with their government, improve political accountability and transparency, and make public institutions more effective.

    Dialogue – BiH2.0 – Dijalog project is based at Tufts University (USA) and funded by a grant from the
    GPD Charitable Trust.

     
    TEAM

    R. Bruce Hitchner [Editor-in-Chief]
    R. Bruce Hitchner is Professor of Classics and International Relations and Director of the Peace and Justice Studies Program at Tufts University, and Chair of the Dayton Peace Accords Project.

    MiranNorderland [Managing & Content Editor]
    MiranNorderland is Director of R2.1 – Resilience for the 21st century, and Doctoral Candidate at the London School of Economics – focusing on Open Government / Policy and Disruptive Technology.

    Dialogue BiH2.0 operations are supported by a team of freelance associates in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

    E: info@dialoguebih.net

  3. Very impressive as an example of ethical foreign policy. I can’ t judge whether the objectives are too ambitious or modest but perhaps I will be better able to judge after I have visited BiH next week. Interesting that some of the goals and outcomes are comparative (better, safer etc) rather than absolute, so any progress can be counted as success for these. Also interesting that a number of outcomes can only be achieved with EU cooperation.

  4. Great to see the objectives being published to dispell those ridiculous theorists. As a ex British Serviceman retired in Banks Luka, I thoroughly welcome the the initiatives to get UK businesses more involved in BiH. I run ClydeCaledonian Ltd an ISO 9001:2008 auditing firm actively seeking business in BiH. Clydecaledonian@gmail.com

    2. Malcolm, thank you very much for your comments. I don’t think you have yet been in touch with my UK Trade and Industry team here at the Embassy, but they might be able to support you in your work. Some of my team will be in Banja Luka early next week if you are around and would be keen to meet? If you’re interested, perhaps you could get in touch with Alma Kadunic here at the Embassy.

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About Edward Ferguson

Edward Ferguson took over as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Serbia in July 2023. Before coming to Belgrade, Edward served as the Minister Counsellor Defence at the British Embassy in Washington…

Edward Ferguson took over as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Serbia in July 2023. Before coming to Belgrade, Edward served as the Minister Counsellor Defence at the British Embassy in Washington DC in September 2018. Together with the Defence Attaché, he led the British Defence Staff (United States), a network of 1,000 people spread across 28 States. As the UK’s senior policy adviser on defence relations with the United States, he was responsible for UK-US collaboration on strategic planning, nuclear policy and programmes, trade and acquisition, and science and technology. He was the US Network’s lead on HMG’s Integrated Review and AUKUS, and the senior champion for the Race, Ethnic and Cultural Heritage Group.

Previously, he served as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2014 to 2018, where he created and led a new international strategy, co-launched by the British and German Foreign Ministers, that re-energised Euro-Atlantic integration after years of stagnation while stimulating economic growth and reducing high levels of youth unemployment.

A former Exhibitioner and Choral Scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, where he was also Treasurer of the Oxford Union, Edward graduated with First Class Honours in Classics in 2001. Joining the Graduate Fast Stream of the Ministry of Defence, he started out in the Naval Staff before joining the Iraq Secretariat during the build-up to and subsequent execution of Operation TELIC. In 2003, he was involved in financial and requirement scrutiny of the Department’s future helicopter procurement programme.

From 2004 to 2006, he managed a national award-winning £300-million programme to consolidate the MOD estate in Greater London and to redevelop RAF Northolt. In 2006, he volunteered for an operational tour, serving as Political Advisor to a British Battlegroup in Maysaan Province, Iraq (while his brother was a troop leader with the British Army in Basra). On his return, he took on responsibility for the strategic management of the UK’s bilateral defence relations with the United States, Canada and Western Europe.

From 2007 to 2009, he worked as Private Secretary to three Defence Secretaries, acting as their closest adviser on issues relating to operations in Iraq, the £6-billion defence equipment programme, science & technology, counter-terrorism and counter-piracy.

In 2009, he was appointed the Head of Afghanistan and Pakistan Policy, responsible for advice to the National Security Council on the policy, financial, legal, parliamentary and presentational aspects of the UK military contribution to operations in Afghanistan, and on the long-term defence role and interests in Pakistan.

From 2011 to 2014, he was Head of Defence Strategy and Priorities, leading two teams, one responsible for leading the MOD’s contribution to developing the 2015 National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review, and the other for prioritising the MOD’s international defence engagement activities. In 2013, he graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science with an MSc with Distinction in Strategy and Diplomacy. He has been a member of the RCDS Strategic Advisory Panel, a member of the US Air Force Grand Strategy Advisory Board, and is a graduate of the PINNACLE Command and Staff course.

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