Ambassador Edward Ferguson visited Jajce

British Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Edward Ferguson visited Jajce today where he met with the Mayor of Jajce Municipality Edin Hozan, with whom he discussed the political and economic situation in this municipality, as well as cooperation with the company Steelmin d.o.o., a British manufacturer of strategic alloys for the metal and chemical industry which has been operating in Jajce since 2011.

After the meeting, Mayor Hozan and Ambassador Ferguson visited the Steelmin plant together.

Earlier, the ambassador had the opportunity to meet with high school students from Jajce with whom he discussed their efforts to prevent further segregation of the school system in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- It was a privilege to meet today with some of the students who have stood up against the limiting ethnic prejudices that are, unfortunately, common in the educational system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their brave and principled stances have inspired people beyond the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I even read about them on the BBC! These young people instill hope for a better future.

They know that diversity should be nurtured, not feared. It was a pleasure to meet Edin Hozan, the Mayor of Jajce Municipality, who was once a professor at the Vocational High School, and to hear about his commitment to resolving the remaining issues in the existing school system. I hope that the message from Jajce will resonate throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and that we can expect the day when segregated education becomes a thing of the past - Ambassador Ferguson said. 

Ambassador Ferguson, Mayor Edin Hozan, and Alma Kadunić, Director of the UK International Trade and Investment team in BiH, were welcomed by Chris McNamee, General Director of Steelmin Limited, and Dževad Delić, Director of the BiH branch of Steelmin d.o.o.

Recently, Steelmin Limited concluded a financial agreement with another British company, Red Rock Resources, a natural resources development company, to renovate its ferrosilicon production furnace in Jajce, which will increase production and create new jobs for the citizens of Jajce.

Steelmin aims to revive the long tradition of metal alloy production in the Jajce factory, which dates back to the 1890s. Chris McNamee, General Director of Steelmin Limited, said:

- I am very pleased with the progress in the renovation of the plant achieved by the team in Jajce, led by Mr. Dževad Delić. The work of Mr. Delić and his team of chief engineers has been crucial in transferring expertise and knowledge in production from the Elektrobosna era to a new generation of domestic engineers. The response from potential buyers is huge, as is the support from domestic suppliers of equipment and materials. We anticipate that most of the materials produced here will be sold on the EU market, helping Bosnia and Herzegovina achieve higher export quotas.

Ambassador Ferguson added:

- I love coming to Jajce, which is one of my favorite cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But, although I usually come to enjoy the fascinating history of Jajce, today I am here to see its future. It is fantastic to see experienced and skilled workers from Jajce, together with major British investors, striving to revive this important industry. By the start of production planned for early next year, Steelmin will employ 150 workers, and this number is expected to grow. Therefore, this investment is important for the long-term prosperity of this community.