Reinforcements from Central America in Bosnia, for the military operation Althea

(BRUSSELS2) Four Central American states (Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador) will take part in the EU military operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR Althea). They will join the Chileans (21 men) who are the only extra-European elements for the moment. This Latin American presence owes nothing to chance. The Spaniards are the framework nation for the operation. Spain provides the most men (349), followed by the Italians (243), and assumes command of the operation with the commander Ignacio Martin Villalain (who took office in December 2007).

Four other third countries are participating in Althea: 13 Albanians, 23 Macedonians, 25 Swiss and 242 Turks, according to the latest figures from Eufor, which thus counted 9 men on July 2155 (List of participating States). On the other hand, Canada, Morocco, New Zealand and Norway have announced that they do not (or no longer) want to contribute to the operation.