Josip Brkić used his inaugural meeting with Brigadier General James Fowler in Sarajevo on 1 July 2026 to push Bosnia and Herzegovina’s NATO partnership a step further. The two men said they were committed to strengthening ties, keeping political dialogue active and maintaining work through existing partnership mechanisms.
The timing matters because the meeting came just before the NATO Deputy Permanent Representatives Committee in Brussels was due to review the implementation of the Reform Program for 2023-2025 tomorrow. That gives the Sarajevo talks immediate weight: Brkić briefed Fowler on the work of the NATO Cooperation Commission and on preparations for the Reform Program of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2026, while both sides backed the continuation of a broader process that includes the Individual Partnership Programme and regular high-level contact.
Brkić, who serves as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Commission for Cooperation with NATO of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said the relationship with NATO helps build defense capacity and carry reform forward. He and Fowler welcomed the adoption and submission of the Reform Programme of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2025, the sixth in a row, and the first Individual Partnership Programme for 2025-2028, a sign that the machinery of cooperation is still moving even as it is being tested.
That is the point where the picture becomes less tidy. The two men also discussed current security and geopolitical challenges, the role of NATO in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, and the need to keep implementing reforms while strengthening the resilience of institutions and working with international partners. They said significant progress has been made, but they also tied stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina to security across the Western Balkans and Europe, which is a reminder that partnership work is now happening under pressure, not in calm.
They also exchanged views on the contribution of members of the Armed Forces of BiH to international security through military missions and peace support operations. What comes next is not abstract: Brussels will assess the 2023-2025 reform period tomorrow, and that review will show whether Sarajevo’s repeated commitments to NATO cooperation are translating into measurable progress rather than another round of promises.
