The Western Balkan states’ renewed focus on European Union membership provides a new opportunity to prioritize the reconciliation agenda, Special Adviser Adama Dieng said on Monday.
Mr. Dieng met with high-level government officials; religious leaders; civil society organizations; and members of the diplomatic community – as well as representatives from UN country teams in the region and the UN office in Belgrade – exploring both the challenges of reconciliation as well as opportunities to overcome them.
Dieng expressed concern about a number of divisive factors that, without serious and concerted efforts, could worsen the situation, including political polarization across identity lines and the politicization of past events, such as the glorification of war criminals and contesting court decisions.
Special Adviser Dieng called on political leaders to take active steps to overcome divisions and maximize common ground, encouraging them to focus on the future and prioritize reconciliation as a fundamental objective of regional policy .
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, he paid particular attention to the October general elections, noting increasing political tensions during his meetings with government officials at the state and entity levels in Sarajevo and Banja Luka. He also met the members of the College of Presidents of the two parliamentary chambers. Mr. Dieng paid tribute to the victims of past atrocities by visiting the Srebrenica and Donja Gradina memorial sites and visited the Partisan Memorial Cemetery in Mostar.
He called for recognition of the suffering of all victims, regardless of their ethnic or religious origin, including through the joint participation of political leaders in commemoration events.
He also highlighted the important role of religious leaders and actors in promoting reconciliation, as well as the importance of empowering young people through sustained efforts to promote inclusive education.
Furthermore, the Special Adviser encouraged the strengthening of joint programs in areas where cooperation already exists, including the prosecution of war crimes and the regionalization of the joint initiative for the future of the United Nations and the United Nations. presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He also highlighted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 16, as a key prevention instrument as it addresses the drivers and root causes of instability and conflicts.