In response to the devastation caused by severe flooding across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), continues to support recovery efforts in BiH by providing additional assistance to the most affected people.
Charge d’Affaires Nicholas Hill will announce a major new U.S. Government initiative that will directly respond to long-term recovery efforts in the aftermath of the natural disaster. He will be accompanied by two high-ranking officials from the USAID Bureau of Europe and Eurasia, Roberta Mahoney, USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, and Jonathan Katz, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator, as well as David Barth, USAID/BiH Mission Director. BiH counterparts attending the press conference will be Nikola Spiric, BiH Minister of Finance and Treasury, and Kemal Kozaric, BiH Central Bank Governor.
The press conference will take place on the ground floor of the BiH State Parliament Building on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, at 14:00, after the U.S. and BiH officials tour the BiH Ministry of Security’s Operations Center.
This new USAID-funded initiative will support BiH’s economic and social recovery. It will support re-building the livelihoods of thousands of families affected by floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina and help to normalize the lives of children all over the country.
Most of the funds that will be used for this new initiative are generated from a USAID small and medium business loan program. Loan payments from this program have been jointly held by USAID and the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina for emergency use. Minister Spiric, Governor Kozaric and USAID Mission Director Barth have jointly agreed that quick action to help rebuild the livelihoods of those who have lost so much is a necessity in the aftermath of this disaster.
The United States is committed to helping the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina as they address the extensive losses and damage caused by this natural disaster and begin long-term recovery efforts.
To date, the U.S. Government, primarily through USAID, has provided more than $1.6 billion in assistance to support economic, democratic and social progress in BiH.
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