NATO trains Bosnia and Herzegovina officials in crisis communication

How should institutions communicate when facts are still emerging, time is limited and public pressure is growing? This is the focus of the third Public Affairs Course under the NATO Defence Capacity Building (DCB) Package for Bosnia and Herzegovina, taking place from 14 to 18 September 2026.

Delivered by a Mobile Training Team from the Public Affairs Regional Centre (PARC) from North Macedonia, the five-day course brings together public affairs and communications professionals from the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other security institutions across the country.

This third course places a particular emphasis on crisis communication and the practical challenges institutions face when communicating in a fast-moving and uncertain environment, CE Report informs via the NATO Headquarters Sarajevo's official website.

The course was opened by Ambassador Vladimir Vučinić, Head of the NATO Political Engagement Support Cell (PESC), who underlined the importance of effective communication as part of institutional resilience, particularly when institutions are operating under pressure and without a complete picture of a developing crisis.

Ambassador Vučinić noted that NATO’s Defence Capacity Building support is aimed at strengthening the capabilities and resilience of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions. He stressed that resilience also depends on how institutions communicate in a crisis – their ability to respond quickly, coordinate effectively and provide credible information as events unfold.

Also participating in the opening were Lieutenant Colonel Sasho Gelevski, Head of the Public Affairs Regional Centre (PARC), and Mr Admir Malagić, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

More broadly, the focus on stronger domestic capabilities and resilience also speaks to the evolving conversation around NATO 3.0 – greater responsibility, stronger capabilities and partners increasingly able to contribute to their own security and to shared security. NATO’s practical cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina, including through DCB, continues to support the development of these capabilities.

Over five days, participants will work on crisis statements and interviews, the organisation of crisis communication, social media, monitoring and countering disinformation, with particular attention to the critical first phase of a crisis. The course will bring these elements together in a live simulation exercise designed to test decision-making, communication and coordination when information is incomplete, time is short and pressure is high.

The course builds on the previous two Public Affairs Courses supported through NATO’s DCB Package. While the first two courses introduced participants to a range of communication tools, this third course puts those tools into practice under pressure. It also reflects the reality that crises rarely involve only one institution: effective crisis communication therefore depends not only on speed and accuracy, but also on coordination between the authorities involved.

Ultimately, the training is designed to help participants apply these skills in real-world situations, enabling institutions to communicate clearly, credibly and in a coordinated manner when it matters most – while reinforcing public trust and institutional resilience.”

Photo NATO Headquarters Sarajevo