The Ambassador of Japan to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kazuya Ogawa, believes BiH is doing well when it comes to the development and the path towards European integration, and despite the various structures challenging this path, a successful period of progress will follow.
Ambassador Ogawa’s mandate in BiH is expiring, and in a farewell interview for agency Fena, he summarized the results of cooperation between BiH and Japan.
He reminded that Japan is investing in BiH, and is one of the largest donors at the bilateral level. Within the various aid frameworks, general aid grants, loans, technical cooperation and grants in the field of culture, sport, Japanese aid to BiH has reached more than a billion euros in the last 20 years. This covers vital sectors such as: primary health care, education, demining, environmental protection, and infrastructure.
“Although bilateral cooperation between BiH and Japan is good, cooperation with the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) will enable it to be even better and in a satisfactory capacity. Japan will continue to help BiH with the aim of contributing to socio-economic development in all key sectors, “ Ambassador Ogawa said.
He says he held a lot of lectures in Banja Luka, Sarajevo, Mostar, and noticed that BiH has the largest capital in the young population and that young people are very brilliant.
“Therefore, BiH must not stop, must not stagnate. It is necessary to catch up with the countries of the region, and young people need to be educated, involved in the public sector, and fight against nepotism and corruption, “ he emphasized.
He considers addressing the issue of air pollution as a priority, and Japan is at its disposal to assist in that segment.
“ Investing in better cooperation with the countries form the region is the key to success,” emphasized Ambassador Ogawa, whose mandate in BiH expires in March.
He believes that BiH has great potentials in tourism as well.
“BiH is a beautiful country, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to visit BiH and see its beauty. I cannot wait for the Trebevic cable car to start operating, and Japanese tourists cannot wait to visit BiH, “ he stated, saying that BiH citizens also travel to Japan, since visa is not difficult to get.
Although, he says, it depends on the occasion of the visit, for interested BiH citizens is not difficult to get a visa if they want to travel to Japan.
“I’m sad to leave BiH, I enjoyed every day I spent in Sarajevo, and while traveling around BiH. But I will, if my work permits, visit this beautiful country again, “ leaving Ambassador of Japan to BiH, Kazuy Ogawa said in a farewell interview.
Ogawa will take the position of the ambassador in Algeria, and the duty of Japanese ambassador to BiH will be taken over by Hideyuki Sakamoto in mid-March.
(Source: faktor.ba)
