The Coordinator of the United Nations and the Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Yuri Afanasiev, together with the Mayor of Mostar, Ljubo Bešlić, jointly signed the Framework Memorandum of Understanding yesterday.
This memorandum continues the cooperation between the UNDP and the City of Mostar through the reconstruction of the Centre for providing services to citizens in Cernica, (which was burned during the riots in February 2014), as well as through the implementation of the energy efficiency project in the Public Institution Dječiji Vrtići, unit Radobolja, and the Home for the Elderly Tekija.
Afanasiev’s visit yesterday was also his farewell visit to Mostar, given that he is to take over a new position soon.
“I am delighted I came to Mostar at the end of my farewell visit. We started the cooperation with the Mayor Bešlić five years ago and together we have achieved great things. I hope that the citizens are satisfied with everything that we have made with joint forces”said Afanasiev to the media after the ceremony of the signing the memorandum.
The Mayor Bešlić thanked Afanasiev for the assistance he has provided to Mostar during his mandate as the head of the UNDP, reminding everyone that the organization had aided projects which were directly beneficial to the citizens of Mostar.
Bešlić highlighted the promenade in the Nikole Šubića Zrinskog Street as one of the most successful joint projects of the UNDP and the City of Mostar, particularly as the promenade regulation is Afanasiev’s favorite project.
“I am very happy to see how the promenade became a magnificent public area full of retirees, mothers with their children, and other strollers. It is my oppinion that B&H has a general problem of the lack of public areas. This area in Mostar used to be at the very boundary line and entirely devastated, and now it practically became the heart of the town”, said Afanasiev.
Speaking about the future work of UNDP in B&H, Afanasiev announced a new wave of development UNDP programs, which are to begin this year.
One of the significant programs will be the Via Dinarica project (the development of avanturistic and alpine tourism in the Dinarides), as well as support programs for small and medium businesses and continuing to implement energy efficiency projects.
“The total worth of all projects in which UNDP is to take part together with other donors and sponsors in the next four years is around 100 million dollars, and I hope that a significant part of this amount is to come to Mostar and Herzegovina”, Afanasiev emphasized.
The Mayor Bešlić added that, in cooperation with the UNDP, the activities on drafting the document of the Development strategy of the City of Mostar, which was supposed to be adopted by the City Council of Mostar after local elections in the city on Neretva, will finally take place.
(Source: seebiz.net)
