Deputy Chirman of Council of Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of B&H Zlatko Lagumdžija met with the Director of Constituency of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for Austria, Israel, Kazakhstan, Cyprus and Malta Johannes Seiringer.
The Director for EBRD in B&H Libor Krkoška attended the meeting as well.
Seiringer informed Lagumdžija that he is visiting B&H with the aim of getting informed about consequences of catastrophic disaster of floods, which hit our country and to present them to the upcoming meeting of the Governors Board of EBRD, which will be held on 28 May in London.
Lagumdžija expressed his gratitude to the Director Seiringer and to EBRD in general for the quick response and readiness to assist B&H and for the concrete steps that are already being undertaken.
He informed the interlocutor on the current situation in the flooded areas.
He underlined that the assistance should take place in two phases. First phase consists of urgent, humanitarian assistance that will help the urgent management of people, supplying them with water, prevention of infections and epidemics after the withdrawal of water, basic medical help to vulnerable populations and enabling basic communication. The second phases consists on reconstruction of damages and parts of the country affected by floods.
According to Lagumdžija, in the process of reconstruction, the focus should be putted on ensuring shelters and houses for people who have lost their homes.
Another priority is to preserve existing jobs, especially in the sector of small and medium enterprise, where EBRD in coordination with other international financial institutions can have a significant role.
Lagumdžija emphasized that B&H needs international help for reconstruction of damages created and a donor conference will take place as soon as possible after the assessment of damages and he expresses expectations for EBRD to support it.
Director Seiringer during the meeting repeated the readiness of EBRD to perform reallocation of parts of funds within the investment planned strategy in B&H and to direct them to assist consequences of floods, rehabilitation and reconstruction and to operate together with other international financial institutions in cooperation with B&H authorities to find necessary sources, announced the PR Office of the B&H Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
(Source: Fena)
