The Embassy of Switzerland and UNDP signed an agreement on the realization of the project in the areas of migration and development.
BiH is a country of emigration with around 1,5 million immigrants, that account for 38.9 percent of the total population. Emigration has enormous human and financial resources and significant potential for the development of BiH. The intention is to develop measures and policies in order to strengthen the ties and facilitate the contribution of BiH diaspora in the development of BIH and encourage collaboration in the areas of economy, science, education and culture.
Despite the existence of vast emigration and its development resources, they are not used for the development of a country due to lack of awareness about the role of emigration in the development of BIH and weak interagency cooperation, announced the Embassy of Switzerland to BiH.
The goal of the project is to raise awareness and advocate for policies that link migration with the development in institutions in this area, including the initiative to develop a strategy for the diaspora.
At the municipal level, migration policy will be integrated in local development plans in 10 municipalites of Jajce, Ključ, Laktaši, Ljubuški, Maglaj, Neveseinje, Posušje, Prijedor, Sanski Most and Velika Kladuša that have a high percentage of immigrants.
The process of planning the development of a joint project of the Swiss government and UNDP ‘Integrated local development’ in these 10 municipalities is underway.
The project will last two years and will be implemented by UNDP in close cooperation with the Sector for Expatriates Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees.
The Swiss government allocated 1,5 million KM for its realization.
The signing was attended by the Ambassador of Switzerland Andre Schaller, resident representative of UNDP Yuri Afanasiev, director for development cooperation in the Swiss Embassy Joseph Guntern and the deputy resident representative of UNDP Zahira Virani.
(Source: Fena)
