The Dayton Agreement

The Dayton Agreement was a pivotal accord that aimed to bring an end to the Yugoslav Wars, which had caused significant turmoil and loss of life in the region. The agreement was reached after a series of NATO air strikes, particularly Operation Deliberate Force, which targeted the Army of the Republika Srpska in response to the Srebrenica genocide. The military pressure exerted by NATO was instrumental in facilitating negotiations among the conflicting parties, leading to a comprehensive peace framework. The agreement was signed in a U.S. airbase in Dayton, Ohio, and it established the basis for a new political structure in Bosnia and Herzegovina, dividing the country into two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska. This division aimed to reflect the ethnic composition of the population and to provide a mechanism for governance that would accommodate the diverse groups involved in the conflict.