Sarajevo, 17 November 2014 – The Embassy of Sweden today signed an agreement with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) for ICMP’s Western Balkans program 2014-2016. The agreement is worth 1.9 million Euros over the next two years. Sweden has been a donor to ICMP since 2002 and has through the years contributed to the organization’s crucial role in the region with 3.5 million Euros.

“The work of ICMP in the Western Balkans is important for the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina in supporting legal, operational and institutional capacities to address the missing persons issue effectively,” said Marie Bergström, Counsellor at the Embassy of Sweden.

With its support for the Western Balkans, Sweden maintains its commitment to the cause of missing persons. In the 2014-2016 program ICMP will continue to provide assistance to countries in the region to account for the missing.

“This is a targeted and substantial contribution that will allow ICMP to continue key activities in the Western Balkans and it reflects the constructive relationship between ICMP and Sweden,” said ICMP Director-General Kathryne Bomberger during the signing ceremony that was held today at ICMP’s headquarters in Sarajevo.

With Swedish financial support, ICMP will continue its support to the authorities to establish an Institute of Legal Medicine in the BiH Federation to ensure that forensic work is executed in a timely manner and in accordance with best practice. ICMP will also be able to continue its efforts to help the authorities conduct a review of cases housed in BiH mortuaries through a process of inventory, anthropological examination, DNA testing and case management.

ICMP will also continue developing the capacity of Family Associations of missing persons to gain access to justice and information. The advocacy efforts of the Regional Coordination, the only multiethnic civil society organization that gathers associations of families of missing persons from across the Western Balkans is also supported by the grant