The Dayton Agreement, also known as the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was signed on December 14, 1995. This historic agreement put an end to the Bosnian War, which had raged on for over three years, and established a framework for peace and stability in the region.
The Dayton Agreement was the result of intense negotiations between the Bosnian government, the Bosnian Serbs, and the Bosnian Croats, facilitated by the international community. The agreement established a complex system of government, with a central government and two semi-autonomous entities – the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is predominantly Bosniak and Croat, and the Republika Srpska, which is predominantly Serb.
One of the key provisions of the Dayton Agreement was the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which was responsible for prosecuting war crimes committed during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s. Many high-ranking officials and military leaders were indicted and brought to trial, including former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and military commander Ratko Mladic.
The Dayton Agreement was hailed as a major achievement in bringing an end to the violence and bloodshed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, it has also been criticized for entrenching the ethnic divisions and power structures that contributed to the conflict in the first place. The country remains divided along ethnic lines, and tensions continue to simmer.
Today, the Dayton Agreement is still in effect and continues to serve as the basis for the country`s political system. While it may not be a perfect solution, it has provided a measure of stability and allowed Bosnia and Herzegovina to move forward from the devastating conflict of the 1990s.