African Relationships with the Military Industry of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country in the Western Balkans that emerged in the 1990s, after the war in the former Yugoslavia. It is not a member of the European Union and has a population of just over 3 million. The main industries in the country are the production of iron, steel, coal, textile, tobacco, along with wood industry. Domestic producers of military equipment and weapons are factories that have inherited production facilities from the Yugoslav heavy and military industry and mainly export their products to foreign markets, thus making a profit. Several domestic companies engaged in the production of weapons and military equipment also produce for the African market. The main goal of this paper is to present modern technical solutions and achievements of the military industry of Bosnia and Herzegovina and to identify the types and quantities of these products that are exported to the African market. Also, the data on the number of peacekeepers on the African continent who are members of law enforcement agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be presented. According to the data of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a few domestic companies from the military industry sector registered cooperation with African partners, requested and obtained a permit from the state authorities for the export of goods to certain African countries. These companies are as follows: Matra Group, Unis Group, Technical Overhaul Bratunac. Regarding relationships with Africa, it is important to mention the participation of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian police and military forces in UN peacekeeping missions in the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, and Liberia.