The economic potential of the diaspora on its homeland is still insufficiently used. Migrants make up to one fifth of the economic strength in certain countries. However, their importance for development policy has been ignored for a long time. This is now changing – in Switzerland.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) wants to promote the potential of migrants for sustainable development in its “Migration and Development” program. According to Markus Reisle, the responsible manager of the program, it is aimed at improving the conditions in order for experiences and money of migrants to have a larger impact on their homeland.
The SDC has been offering its support to the platform i-diaspora for two years. The association that is operating in Switzerland wants to support the development of BiH. The potential is really large. There are more than 60,000 people of BH origin in Switzerland. A business forum was organized in Zurich last November, and it gathered BH companies from the area of residential construction and potential investors from Switzerland. Preliminary efficiency assessment is more than positive. Meanwhile, five investors already submitted their bids, and four companies also visited their potential partners in BiH.
One of the members of diaspora from Switzerland who already operates in BiH is Edin Dacic. He came to Switzerland with his parents as a five-year-old boy. After he finished his studies at the University of St. Gallen in the late 1980’s, he decided to try his luck in the Balkans. The company that he established, Daccomet, now operates within the furniture industry and it is a supplier of the furniture manufacturer Ikea from Sweden. The company has around 400 employees in BiH, and the second production plant in Serbia has around 300 employees. Dacic sends his employees to professional training in Switzerland quite often.
Dacic is also a member of the board of directors of i-diaspora. His motivation is that he wants to raise awareness. The Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has a start-up fund that is intended for companies in transition countries. However, members of the Diaspora are not really aware of the fact that there is that kind of help.
German “Die Welt” wrote about the recently held International Furniture Fair in Cologne, and emphasized the unique design and beauty of BH furniture, that is, products of the company Zanat from Konjic.
Well-known Swedish designer Monika Forster, the art director of the brand for three years, said that “BiH is usually associated with war, death, Srebrenica, corruption and the unemployment rate of around 26 %. Therefore, this is something very positive for Konjic and something that all citizens are very proud of. Meanwhile, numerous world-famous designers are observing this company, which is a great thing. We will present the results of our work with one of the world’s best designers in April, at the International Furniture Fair in Milan,” stated Forster.
(Source: akta.ba)
