The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, participated tonight in the Sarajevo City Hall at the ceremony marking 30 years of development cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Germany, which was held under the title “30 Years of Partnership – Together for the Future”.
In his address, Minister Konaković expressed his satisfaction with the celebration of this significant anniversary, emphasizing that the relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany over the past three decades of cooperation have been built on shared values, commitment to peace, development and the European future of our country.
He emphasized that Germany, as one of the most important foreign policy partners of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been and remains a strong advocate of the reform and integration processes of our country on its path to membership in the European Union.
Democratic values, human rights, development and progress
Bosnia and Herzegovina, he added, remains consistently committed to democratic values, human rights, development and progress for the benefit of all its citizens.
Konaković said that the two countries are jointly advancing key reforms and initiatives that support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sustainable development, green economy and climate change resilience, including support from the German Development Bank – KfV. He recalled that in the past period, Germany’s engagement has been much more than financial assistance and that through the Berlin Process, Germany has consistently promoted regional cooperation, reconciliation and sustainable growth.
The BiH Foreign Minister added that GIZ has strengthened regional cooperation and development through its support for good governance and initiatives. He stressed that the best evidence of good cooperation does not come from large projects, but from small ones that directly affect people’s lives, and cited the “Cleaning the Doljanka River” project as evidence of shared values and efforts, which brought real changes after last year’s floods in the Jablanica region.
Finally, he reiterated that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany have shown that a partnership based on trust can bring real changes – in institutions, in communities and in people’s lives.
Notes of Agreement
Before the ceremony, Minister Konaković and the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to BiH Alfred Grannas exchanged notes of agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on the continuation of development and political cooperation. The notes of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina together constitute an agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, which, after the exchange of notes, will be submitted for ratification.
The main objective of concluding the new agreement is the continuation of the implementation of development cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as a contribution to the improvement of overall bilateral relations and the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries.
German development cooperation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is focused on projects in the field of renewable energy, energy efficiency, support for the private sector, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as projects for climate protection and improvement of the water supply system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH announced.
