Over 31 Million KM of Diaspora Investments Recorded with USAID Support

(Patria) - The USAID "Diaspora Invest" Project will again support the organization of the Business Forum of the BiH Diaspora, which, after last year's break, will gather potential investors, representatives of local communities, and civil society organizations involved in bringing together the business community of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian diaspora through online sessions. The latest data on total investments by the diaspora realized with the support of this Project confirm that investments by the BiH diaspora represent an important contribution to the growth of the domestic economy.

"We are currently in the fourth year of the Project, where we have stagnation compared to the trends from 2019 and 2018, but the annual investments are still significant. Since April 2017, when USAID began implementing the "Diaspora Invest" project, around 31 million KM of investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been supported through technical assistance and grant programs," stated the USAID "Diaspora Invest" Project.

Investments by companies such as "HIK" in Sanski Most, initiated by the BiH diaspora, "SB Lasera" in Prijedor, "Delta Plus" in Sanski Most, and "Eagle Technology" in Žepče, launched by direct diaspora investments, represent some of the most significant investments in these local communities.

"Over 140 companies have gone through the Project's support programs. What is extremely significant is that the vast majority of these companies have recovered from the impact of the pandemic year, and over 350 jobs created through the direct support of our grant program have been preserved," the Project added.

The largest growth in 2021 is expected in diaspora investments in the IT sector and the manufacturing industry. The recovery of the tourism sector, which previously saw great interest from diaspora investors, is also expected. These and other topics will be discussed at the upcoming BHdiaFor, scheduled for April 14, with registration for participation opening next week.