The extent of flood damage in BiH will only be known after the official assessment on June 18

We are now entering the second phase, which is much more difficult, the phase of reconstruction and recovery, said Peter Sorensen, Head of the European Union Delegation to BiH and EU Special Representative, on activities in the upcoming period, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

Together with Ricardo Zapata Marti, team leader/coordinator on behalf of the European Union for the Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis, he presented the current activities. Sorensen emphasized that they have gathered teams of hundreds of partners, including domestic institutions, the UN, the World Bank, and the European Union, to conduct the Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis.

When asked how the incoming aid would be distributed to the affected areas, Sorensen said it would be distributed according to actual needs.

- The report, which will be completed by June 18, will serve international donors, as well as for internal planning in the country for the recovery process – said Sorensen.

At the beginning of his address, Zapata expressed his condolences to all families who lost family members.

- I have had the opportunity to see worse things in other countries, it will be difficult to access the second phase because it is a challenge – said Zapata.

When asked how the floods and their consequences would affect the development of BiH, considering it had only just recovered from the war from 1992 to 1995, Zapata said that it would only be possible to speak about how much the floods would set BiH back after the assessment.

Currently, expert teams are working on collecting information in the field, which is planned until June 6. Damages are being assessed in six areas:

• transport infrastructure
• energy
• housing
• agriculture
• water supply and sewerage
• livelihoods and employment

In his address, Sorensen said that it is not possible to talk about figures now, but that great damage has been caused.

- The problem with mines alone will triple the costs, but it is encouraging that mines are not as big a problem as initially thought – said Sorensen, adding that he is now more optimistic than two weeks ago.

He noted that the entire region, and thus BiH, has enough friends, and that solidarity has been expressed in the past period, and that aid will undoubtedly come. Regarding the donor conference that could be held in early July, Sorensen said that the EU Delegation will assist with the organization, writes Patria.