UK Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Dame Karen Pierce, paid her first official visit in this role to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 27-28 March.
Dame Karen Pierce, one of the UK’s most experienced diplomats, has been appointed the UK Special Envoy for the Western Balkans in February this year, taking over from Air Chief Marshal The Lord Peach.
Dame Karen Pierce began her visit with talks with the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina members, Chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Minister of Foreign Affairs in which she reiterated the UK’s steadfast commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s stability and security.
Dame Karen Pierce said:
It’s an honour to have been appointed as the UK’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans – a region of great personal attachment to me, and to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina so early on in my role. The UK remains fully committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
I am visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina in a moment of political crisis. It is important to underline that BiH has the institutions and mechanisms to respond to this crisis. An early domestic resolution will enable further progress on the country’s EU path. For our part, the UK will continue to support BiH in fulfilling its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
This autumn, the UK is hosting the Berlin Process summit with Western Balkans leaders to support stability, security and economic co-operation in the region Dame Karen Pierce discussed objectives and delivery with Amer Kapetanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, a key regional partner.
During the visit, Special Envoy Dame Karen Pierce also met human rights defenders, journalists, and project partners with whom the UK works on a range of issues for the benefit of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In her meeting with leaders and representatives of the biggest religious communities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, she urged them to work together to deescalate political crises and to build trust between communities: preserving peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina is paramount.
