Bosnia and Herzegovina country brief

Key engagement

Support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order, and multi-ethnic character. Engagement in international organisations, the Direct Aid Program, and long-standing people-to-people links.

Bilateral relations

Australia recognised Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 1992, shortly after its declaration of independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and before the violent internal conflict that ended with the Dayton Accords in 1995. The Australian Embassy in Vienna, Austria, is accredited to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina's Embassy in Canberra opened in 1993. Today there are over 26,000 resident Australians born in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Australia and Bosnia and Herzegovina engage productively in international organisations on matters of mutual interest. We both participated in the former Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and in the Global Coalition against Daesh.

We enjoy long-standing people-to-people links. Though our Direct Aid Program (DAP), Australia provides small grants each year for development support in education, gender, disability, human rights, and democracy and inclusion to grassroots organisations and local communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Australia was proud to support the UNSC resolution (23 May 2024) that designated 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the genocide in Srebrenica (1995), and strongly supports Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order and multi-ethnic character.
Economic and trade information can be found in the Bosnia and Herzegovina factsheet [PDF 542 KB].

Foreign policy

Bosnia and Herzegovina's foreign policy is centred on upholding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Bosnia and Herzegovina is focused on pursuing membership of the European Union (EU), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and World Trade Organization (WTO).

In December 2022, EU leaders recommended granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina. In March 2024, the European Commission recommended opening EU accession talks, which all EU leaders then agreed to in principle, subject to Bosnia and Herzegovina fulfilling all the conditions outlined by the Commission.

Further information is available at: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bosnia and Herzegovina

Political overview

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a complex political system established by the Dayton Peace Agreement (‘Dayton Accords') in 1995. The country remains under international oversight through the Office of the High Representative (OHR), an ad hoc international institution responsible for overseeing civilian aspects of the Peace Agreement that ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The OHR has broad powers to enforce the Dayton Accords, including removing from office public officials who violate the Accords or who obstruct the peace process.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is composed of two autonomous entities – the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (predominantly Bosniak [i.e. Bosnian Muslim] and Croat) and the Republika Srpska (predominantly Serb) – as well as the self-governing Brčko District.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's political system is a parliamentary democracy. The Head of State is a three-member Presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, and one Serb), who are directly elected to four-year terms. The chairpersonship rotates every eight months. The Presidency is responsible for foreign policy, ambassadorial appointments, and representing the country internationally.

The Head of Government is the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers. Legislative power is vested in a bicameral Parliamentary Assembly: The House of Representative (42 members) and The House of Peoples (15 members, divided equally between Bosniaks, Croat and Serbs).

Fast Facts

Bosnia and Herzegovina visitors to Australia (year ended Dec 2024): 750
Australian visitors to Bosnia and Herzegovina (year ended 2024): 5,050 – 8,110
Resident Australian population born in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2021 census): 26,171
International student numbers (2024): 35

High level engagement

2025 – Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs, and Assistant Minister for International Education, the Hon Julian Hill MP, and Senator the Hon David Shoebridge, visited Bosnia and Herzegovina for the 30th anniversary commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide on 11 July.

2022 – Visit to Australia of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Dr Bisera Turković

2017 – Croat Member of the Presidency, Dr Dragan Čović, visited Australia

Public Diplomacy

The Australian Embassy in Vienna hosts events in Bosnia and Herzegovina to promote Australian innovation and showcase Australian culture and foster trade and investment.