Unique medical cooperation in the Balkans
Norway and USA have for 14 years supported a military medicine initiative between countries in the West Balkans. On 19 June, the Norwegian Surgeon general together with the Norwegian Ambassador and their US colleagues attended a ceremony in Belgrade, Serbia.
"It is inspiring to see what these nations collectively achieve together within BMTF", says the Norwegian Surgeon General Petter Iversen.
The support has included both donations and training, and the major result is the Balkan Medical Task Force (BMTF).
"Norway, together with USA, has supported the unique mil-med cooperation in the Western Balkan region", said the Norwegian liaison Lieutenant Colonel Tore Olav Mehus.
BMTF consists of personnel from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.
Balkan Medical Task Force (BMTF) Mission
In order to identify, enhance and facilitate the medical operational capabilities of the West Balkan region, the purpose of the BMTF is to provide medical support at the Role 2 level on Crisis Response Operations (CRO) in a sustainable manner and rapidly respond to a broad spectrum of regional disaster relief situations.
The goal is to enable the participating nations to provide vital capabilities to international operations, enhance national medical service capacities, and to achieve national, NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) force / partnership goals (capability targets).
Handover-takeover (HOTO) of framework nation and chairmanship
During the ceremony, there was a formal handover-takeover of both framework nation for BMTF and Chairmanship for the BMTF steering board (the decision making body of BMTF). Serbia took over as framework nation from Slovenia, while North Macedonia took over the Chairmanship from Serbia.
"Norwegian and U.S. ambassadors to Serbia were guest for the formal HOTO ceremony", said LtCol Mehus.
