Two-day conference on the significance of diaspora for BiH begins

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - A two-day conference titled "The Significance of Diaspora for Bosnia and Herzegovina" began in Sarajevo, organized by the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH.

The conference is organized within the framework of the Diaspora for Development project, a project of the Swiss Government and the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, in partnership with UNDP and IOM in BiH.

In her opening address, Minister of Human Rights and Refugees Semiha Borovac stated that for BiH, the diaspora means much more than just a number, and that 15% of the gross domestic product comes from the diaspora.

- Not enough has been done with the diaspora; institutions have failed, and the diaspora lacked the necessary tools for institutions to work with. Today's conference is an opportunity to present the results of the work of 29 cities and municipalities in BiH that have signed agreements for cooperation with the diaspora - said Borovac.

She added that this is one of the tools, and a web portal has been launched for better international communication, which is well-visited.

Strengthening cooperation with the diaspora is one of the key principles of the Policy on Cooperation with the Diaspora, adopted last year by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which defined the directions of Bosnia and Herzegovina's actions towards the diaspora.

The aim of the conference is to bring together over 30 representatives of the diaspora from 15 countries and representatives of relevant institutions at all levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as representatives of the non-governmental sector and international organizations, to highlight the importance of the diaspora and provide an opportunity to address topics that will emphasize the role of the diaspora in the socio-political life of Bosnia and Herzegovina, through their involvement in public policy creation, entrepreneurship, knowledge transfer, and cooperation with local self-government units.