Security Council resolution 2549 (2020) [on renewal of the authorization of the European Union-led Multinational Stabilization Force (EUFOR ALTHEA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a period of 12 months]
Symbol: S/RES/2549 (2020)
Date: 2020-11-05
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/75 [62] BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA SITUATION
S/75 [60] FORMER YUGOSLAVIA SITUATION
S/ X The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Subjects: EUFOR|NATO|Agreement on Implementing the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995)|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|PEACEBUILDING|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA|BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA SITUATION|FORMER YUGOSLAVIA SITUATION
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: BELGIUM
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
vote: yes
country: ESTONIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: INDONESIA
vote: yes
country: NIGER
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
vote: yes
country: SOUTH AFRICA
vote: yes
country: TUNISIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                  S/RES/2549 (2020)
               Security Council                                                Distr.: General
                                                                               5 November 2020




               Resolution 2549 (2020)
               Adopted by the Security Council on 5 November 2020

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions concerning the conflicts in the
               Former Yugoslavia and relevant statements of its President, including resolutions
               1031 (1995) of 15 December 1995, 1088 (1996) of 12 December 1996, 1423 (2002)
               of 12 July 2002, 1491 (2003) of 11 July 2003, 1551 (2004) of 9 July 2004, 1575
               (2004) of 22 November 2004, 1639 (2005) of 21 November 2005, 1722 (2006) of
               21 November 2006, 1764 (2007) of 29 June 2007, 1785 (2007) of 21 November 2007,
               1845 (2008) of 20 November 2008, 1869 (2009) of 25 March 2009, 1895 (2009) of
               18 November 2009, 1948 (2010) of 18 November 2010, 2019 (2011) of 16 November
               2011, 2074 (2012) of 14 November 2012, 2123 (2013) of 12 November 2013, 2183
               (2014) of 11 November 2014, 2247 (2015) of 10 November 2015, 2315 (2016) of
               8 November 2016, 2384 (2017) of 7 November 2017, 2443 (2018) of 6 November
               2018, and 2496 (2019) of 5 November 2019,
                     Reaffirming its commitment to the political settlement of the conflicts in the
               Former Yugoslavia, preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States
               there within their internationally recognized borders,
                     Underlining its commitment to support the implementation of the General
               Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the annexes thereto
               (collectively the Peace Agreement, S/1995/999, Annex), as well as the relevant
               decisions of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC),
                    Recognizing this year as the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Peace
               Agreement,
                     Recognizing the importance of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s transition to a
               functional, reform oriented, and democratic European country,
                    Noting the reports of the High Representative, including his latest report of
               28 October 2020,
                     Encouraging the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support of the
               international community, to accelerate their efforts to address the disposal of excess
               ammunition,
                     Emphasizing its appreciation to the Commander and personnel of the
               multinational stabilization force (EUFOR ALTHEA) and the personnel of other
               international organizations and agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina for their




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               contributions to the implementation of the Peace Agreement, and taking note of
               EUFOR ALTHEA’s strategic review, conducted in 2019,
                    Recalling all the agreements concerning the status of forces referred to in
               Appendix B to Annex 1-A of the Peace Agreement, and reminding the parties of their
               obligation to continue to comply therewith,
                    Further recalling the provisions of its resolution 1551 (2004) concerning the
               provisional application of the status of forces agreements contained in Appendix B to
               Annex 1-A of the Peace Agreement,
                      Welcoming the continued presence of EUFOR ALTHEA and the EU’s readiness
               at this stage to continue an executive military role to support Bosnia and Herzegovina
               authorities to maintain the safe and secure environment, the current focus of its
               mandate, and its regular review, including on the basis of the situation on the ground,
                     Reiterating its calls on the competent authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to
               take necessary steps to complete the 5+2 agenda, which remains necessary for closure
               of the Office of the High Representative, as confirmed by the PIC Steering Board
               communiqués,
                     Reaffirming provisions concerning the High Representative as set out in its
               previous resolutions, and further reaffirming Article V of Annex 10 of the Peace
               Agreement regarding the High Representative’s final authority in theatre in the
               interpretation of the civilian implementation of the Agreement,
                    Taking note of the Peace Agreement and of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s
               leadership’s commitment towards a European perspective, including through the
               submission of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU membership application in February
               2016 and through the implementation of the recommendations in the EU
               Commission’s Opinion issued in May 2019, and recalling that Bosnia and
               Herzegovina’s commitment needs to be translated urgently into comprehensive
               reform results on the ground,
                    Underscoring the urgency to implement the rulings of the European Court of
               Human Rights as well as the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and
               emphasizing that progress needs to be made on electoral reform in a spirit of
               consensus within the current legislative period to move the country towards modern
               democratic standards in accordance with the OSCE-ODIHR, Venice Commission, and
               the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)’s
               recommendations to improve the electoral framework,
                    Noting with concern continued polarizing unconstructive policies, actions and
               rhetoric in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and reiterating its calls to political leaders to
               advance reconciliation and mutual understanding,
                    Calling for all levels of authorities to further coordinate and implement
               socioeconomic reforms that will address structural weaknesses of the economy to the
               benefit of all citizens,
                     Emphasizing the need for Bosnia and Herzegovina to step up efforts regarding
               the functioning and independence of the judiciary, the fight against corruption and
               organized crime, and the fight against terrorism and prevention of radicalization,
                     Noting positively the adoption of the revised National War Crimes Processing
               Strategy by the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers and encouraging
               authorities of its implementation,
                    Encouraging the parties to implement Bosnia and Herzegovina ’s National
               Action Plan on Women Peace and Security in an inclusive manner and looking
               forward to its continuation,

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                 Recognizing that the security environment has remained calm and stable, and
           noting that the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities have so far prove n capable to deal
           with threats to the safe and secure environment,
                 Determining that the situation in the region continues to constitute a threat to
           international peace and security,
                Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
                1.    Reiterates that the primary responsibility for the further successful
           implementation of the Peace Agreement lies with all the authorities in Bosnia and
           Herzegovina themselves and notes the continued willingness of the international
           community and major donors to support them in implementing the Peace Agreement,
           and calls upon all the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to fully cooperate with
           the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and support
           investigations and prosecutions in the national system;
               2.  Welcomes the EU’s readiness to maintain an EU military operation
           (EUFOR ALTHEA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina from November 2020;
                 3.   Authorizes the Member States acting through or in cooperation with the
           EU to establish for a further period of twelve months, starting from the date of the
           adoption of this resolution, a multinational stabilization force (EUFOR ALTHEA) as
           a legal successor to SFOR under unified command and control, which will fulfil its
           missions in relation to the implementation of An nex 1-A and Annex 2 of the Peace
           Agreement in cooperation with the NATO Headquarters presence in accordance with
           the arrangements agreed between NATO and the EU as communicated to the Security
           Council in their letters of 19 November 2004, which recognize t hat EUFOR ALTHEA
           will have the main peace stabilization role under the military aspects of the Peace
           Agreement;
                 4.   Decides to renew the authorization provided by paragraph 11 of its
           resolution 2183 (2014) for a further period of twelve months starting from the date of
           adoption of this resolution;
                 5.    Authorizes the Member States acting under paragraph 3 and 4 above to
           take all necessary measures to effect the implementation of and to ensure compliance
           with annexes 1-A and 2 of the Peace Agreement, stresses that the parties shall
           continue to be held equally responsible for the compliance with that annex and shall
           be equally subject to such enforcement action by EUFOR ALTHEA and the NATO
           presence as may be necessary to ensure implementation of those annexes and the
           protection of EUFOR ALTHEA and the NATO presence;
                 6.   Authorizes Member States to take all necessary measures, at the request of
           either EUFOR ALTHEA or the NATO Headquarters, in defence of the E UFOR
           ALTHEA or NATO presence respectively, and to assist both organizations in carrying
           out their missions, and recognizes the right of both EUFOR ALTHEA and the NATO
           presence to take all necessary measures to defend themselves from attack or threat of
           attack;
                 7.   Authorizes the Member States acting under paragraph 3 and 4 above, in
           accordance with annex 1-A of the Peace Agreement, to take all necessary measures
           to ensure compliance with the rules and procedures governing command and control
           of airspace over Bosnia and Herzegovina with respect to all civilian and military air
           traffic;
                8.  Urges all concerned parties to proceed with the formation of the
           governments at Federation and cantonal levels;



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                    9.   Urges the parties to prioritize the implementation of co mprehensive
               reforms in a manner which benefits all citizens and is in line with the country’s
               European perspective, and further calls on them to refrain from any polarizing
               unconstructive policy, action and rhetoric;
                    10. Urges the parties, in accordance with the Peace Agreement, to abide to
               their commitment to cooperate fully with all institutions involved in the
               implementation of this peace settlement, as described in the Peace Agreement,
               including Annex 4;
                     11. Reaffirms that under the Peace Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina
               consists of two entities, which exist legally by virtue of the Bosnia and Herzegovina
               Constitution, and further reaffirms that any change to the Constitution must be made
               in accordance with the amendment procedure prescribed therein;
                    12.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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