Overview
Twelve years since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords that brought an end to the hostilities and started the transition to peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Balkans remains a critical region for U.S. foreign policy and security interests. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is still struggling to overcome the effects of war. Physically, the country is largely rebuilt and shows signs of economic growth. Defense reform resulted in joining NATO’s Partnership for Peace. However, ethnic tensions and a largely dysfunctional, multi-layered governance structure geared toward safeguarding the rights of the various ethnic groups still hinder Bosnia’s development. Reforms necessary for eventual Euro-Atlantic integration require continued effort. To date, the U.S. Government, through USAID, has provided over $1 billion in assistance to support economic, democratic and social progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia-Herzegovina in Action
 USAID Internships Help BiH Students Gain Research Experience
Too often, students emerge from their studies with an excellent education but no real world experience to offer potential employers. An internship can solve that problem by giving students both credit towards their studies and the professional skills employers are looking for... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Education
 Foster Families Find Strength in Numbers
In Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), foster parents and children live in a unique situation. The challenges they encounter are often very different from those of biological families. Without contact with others in similar situations, foster families can end up feeling isolated and alone... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Social Programs
 Srebrenica Court Gets Much-Needed Facelift
Srebrenica Basic Court President Hajrudin Halilovic has spent most of his life in the city’s court, having gotten his first job there in 1971. When he returned after the war to find the court in ruins, he was shocked... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Infrastructure
 LAMP Achievements Lauded by Satisfied Farmers
When they first contacted USAID’s Linking Agricultural Markets to Producers (LAMP) project in 2005 asking for assistance, farmers from the Cazin-based Krajinamlijeko Cooperative in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) were skeptical... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Children Lobby for a Cleaner Environment
Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) has great potential to become a sought-out tourism destination, but the garbage and debris scattered across the landscape threatens to destroy its chances according to a public opinion survey conducted by USAID... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Environment
 Legislators, Auditors Unite for BiH Budgeting Efficiency
It is a frustrating fact that in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), publicizing inefficiency or even corruption doesn’t always lead to change. Reports are written, people are informed, but no action is necessarily taken... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy
 Early Education Key to Avian Flu Prevention
When it comes to avian influenza, commonly known as “bird flu”, USAID believes that prevention offers the best chance for saving lives. This is especially true when it’s the lives of children that hang in the balance... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Health
 BiH Tourism Exhibit Wows Visitors at World Fair
When visitors to the world’s largest tourism fair arrived at the booth for Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), they didn’t find just the standard photos and brochures. Instead, they were invited to take a stroll across the country... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 BiH Investigative Stories Get World’s Attention
Contaminated food. Shady dealings by politicians. Law enforcement officials breaking the very laws they are paid to enforce... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy
 Independence Is Goal for Wheelchair Users
When most people first see Biljana Nedic, they might not imagine dancing as one of her favorite pastimes. But that all changes once the music starts and Biljana starts moving her body and twirling her wheelchair to the beat... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Health
 British Tour Agents Captivated by Bosnia-Herzegovina
"I am fascinated with what I have seen and tried while I was here. My agency will do our best to include your country in our tourist offer," exclaimed UK tourist agent Allison White during her first visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH)... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Republika Srpska Enacts Business-Friendly Reforms
Starting a business in Republika Srpska (RS) now takes far less time than it used to thanks to the efforts of USAID’s Streamlining Permits and Inspection Regimes Activity (SPIRA)... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Court Reforms Benefit Citizens, Attract Investors
When Zana Perla went to the Sarajevo Municipal Court to check on the status of her court case, she gave the clerk her case number and was finished in just a few minutes. “It was fast and efficient,” she says... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Institutional Reform
 Regional Newspaper Goes National
In 2003, daily Nezavisne Novine was an up-and-coming independent regional paper seeking to expand circulation from its home base in the Republika Srpska to the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy
 Investigative Reporting Exposes Corruption
A casual reader might have missed it, but as the news editor for START, a popular biweekly magazine, Eldin Karić is no casual reader. Early in 2005, a tiny news item about irregularities in audits of government agencies... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy
 Radio Station Bridges Ethnic Divide
In 1997, Amna Popovac was having coffee with some journalist friends in Mostar, a city divided between Catholic Croats in the west and Muslim Bosniaks in the east... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Voters, Not Politicians, Set Agenda
Turnout for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national elections in October 2006 was expected to be low. Voters were tired of hearing the same partisan rhetoric from candidates accustomed to exploiting ethnic and political divisions... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy
 Securing the Future of Media Support
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) after a devastating ethnic conflict ended in 1995. Since then, stability has gradually returned, and donors are turning their attention to other regions in need... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 USAID Increases Efficiency and Transparency of BiH Courts
As the 19th-century British statesman William Gladstone famously stated, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” Delay undermines the purpose of courts, as the opportunity for justice is lost with the passage of time... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rule of Law
 Mission Director Bids Fond Farewell to BiH
Since his arrival in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) in 2002, USAID’s Mission Director Howard Sumka has worked tirelessly toward improving the lives of the countries ordinary citizens... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina
 New Techniques Help BiH Farmers Make Milk Healthier, Safer
That’s a question many people are asking after recent inquiries by the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIN) found that lack of proper monitoring results in contamination of some of the country’s foods... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Health
 Tea, Herbs Mean Big Business for BiH
Visitors to Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) learn quickly that its citizens are great fans of herbal remedies. In fact, more than 100,000 families throughout the country collect and grow herbal plants... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Citizens Group Holds Parties To Campaign Commitments
With the frenzy of the election campaigns are over, many politicians may think it’s time to relax. That wouldn’t be a good idea in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) this year... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy
 Organic Buckwheat Wins New Markets
Samir Mehonic and Vesna Latifovic were in a unique position. Their organic buckwheat products had just won the “Golden Rose” prize for best new product of the year... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Dutch Tourists Plan Summer Holidays in BiH
For the first time, a Dutch tourism agency will include excursions to BiH as part of its summer tour offerings... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 BiH’s New Citizen Service Centers Cut Wait Time by Half
When Radomir Macar, a pensioner from Sokolac, needed documents to prove his citizenship, he never expected the process would be so quick... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Institutional Reform
 BiH Families Offer Homes to Children in Crisis
When Halida and Jasmin Avdic applied to become foster parents, they were looking to fill the void created by their daughter’s departure to become an au pair in the U.S... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Social Programs
 Bosnian Refugee Family Begins Making Restaurant Dream a Reality
Robert and Sonja Hadzic, a mixed-marriage refugee family from Trebinje, Bosnia, came to Serbia with only a few bags of their most precious personal belongings... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 BiH Power Companies Learn to Compete on Merit
For the first time, BiH power companies had to prove their worth before gaining the right to generate and distribute power... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Energy
 Campaign Helps Saves “Human Fish” from Extinction
Most locals call it the “human fish.” But unlike humans, the Triton Salamandar can be found on only a tiny sliver of the earth—Prokosko Lake near Fojnica in BiH.... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Environment
 Key to Fundraising: You Have to Ask
When parents of special needs children in Trebinje first heard the proposal to raise money through collection boxes, they were shocked. The idea just seemed too much like begging... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Social Programs
 Bankruptcy is Not the End for Unis Tadiv Employees
Workers at Unis Tadiv in Konjic are getting paid once again thanks to the company’s decision to
file for bankruptcy... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 BiH Dairy Farmers Boost Milk Production
Nine famers from Buzim were recently let in on a valuable secret: Cutting their grass earlier can increase their winter milk production by as much as 10 to 15%... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Bosnia-Herzegovina Banking System Receives Upgrade
Nearly every citizen of Bosnia-Herzegovina has a horror story to tell about losing their bank savings at the start of the war... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Financial Markets
 Bosnia-Herzegovina Receives Return on US Investment of $372 Million for
Infrastructure Repair
Infrastructure repair is the most visible of all USAID’s programs in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Starting in 1995, the program targeted structures that would help restart and assist citizens to return to normal living... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Infrastructure
 A Decade After Dayton, Youth Eager to Invest in their Future
More than 530 young people from all over the country gathered together at a U.S. Government-sponsored conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Social Programs
 Cultural Cooperation in the Dayton Triangle
The Igman Initiative, a network of 140 NGOs from Serbia and Montenegro (SaM), Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), led by the Novi Sad-based Center for Regionalism... Read More ...
Related Items: Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy, Rule of Law
 Corrupt Marketing Practices Exposed Thanks to USAID Media Initiative
Dzepobran, a consumer protection TV series, aired a story on one of the major grocery stores in BiH. The crew discovered that the store's promotional campaign... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Freezer Helps BiH Women’s Farmer Association Increase Dairy Sales
Under its Linking Agriculture Markets to Producers (LAMP) project, USAID provided
a Lacto freezer to support the Women’s Farmer Association from Tesanj and Usora... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Returnee Families Receive Support for Fresh Start
In April, USAID distributed 41 small loans and 56 grants to extremely vulnerable minority returnee families under its Economic Assistance to Support Sustainable Minority Returns in BiH project... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 BiH Welcomes USAID Administrator
On June 15-16, USAID/Bosnia-Herzegovina was pleased to host Administrator Andrew Natsios on his first visit to BiH since just after the war. Accompanying him on the trip was E&E Bureau Chief Kent Hill... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy
 Students Breathe Fresh Life into Furniture Design
Industrial design students had a unique chance to exhibit their creations at the 5-day “Made in BiH” workshop sponsored by USAID’s Cluster Competitiveness Activity (CCA)... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Revised Law Speeds Justice for Thousands in BiH
Recently, a 68-year old retiree, residing in Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Federation entity (FBiH), saw her application for pension benefits rejected by the Pension Bureau... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rule of Law
 Families Open Doors and Hearts to Parentless Children
It’s the middle of the night and 5-year-old Amel is calling frantically for his mother. “Please help me find a place to hide my shoes,” he begs when she arrives... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Social Programs
 Quality Proves Key to Mushrooming Success in BiH
In 2001, Milan Zoric and Boran Maglov had a dream to build a business exporting organic mushrooms of the highest quality. So, based upon their combined experience with finance and medicinal and aromatic plants... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Natron Maglaj Joint Venture to Preserve 450 Jobs
BiH's pulp and paper-producing firm, Natron Maglaj, was privatized through a joint venture with Kastamonu Entegre, part of the Hayat Holding Group from Turkey... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Krajina Emerging as a Tourist Destination
“There are so many tourists who should be shown what this part of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) can offer," said Milan Torbak from Zagreb, Croatia as he gazed at the crowd on Vlasic Mountain one sunny Sunday... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Business Development
 Parents Choose School Principal in Bosnia-Herzegovina
In a rare occurrence in Bosnia-Herzegovina, experience triumphed over politics and parents were allowed to choose their children's school principal... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Education
 USAID Program Helps BiH Returnees Feed Their Families
Traveling to Srebrenica today, it's hard to imagine that 10 years ago the peaceful, bucolic setting was the site of the greatest atrocity in Europe since World War II... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Social Programs
 Breast Cancer Survivors Fight for Rights
Prevention doesn’t exist: only early detection! For most women, breast cancer is an emotionally devastating diagnosis. But in Sarajevo, 150 breast cancer survivors... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democracy
Bridge between Srebrenica and Bajina Basta Municipalities Refurbished with U.S. Support
On Wednesday, November 3, an inauguration ceremony will be held to mark the completion of renovations of the bridge connecting Skelani, in the Municipality of Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Bajina Basta, in Serbia and Montenegro... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Infrastructure
Bridge Renovation Encourages Increased Cross-border and Interethnic Cooperation
For nearly a decade, cooperation between the communities of Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Bajina Basta, Serbia and Montenegro, has been virtually non-existent... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Heregovina, Serbia, Infrastructure
 Skelani Soccer Tournament: Connecting Divided Communities
The small village of Skelani (BiH) is in the Srebrenica municipality and has approximately 2500 inhabitants. Skelani is located 50 km from the town of Srebrenica and access to the municipal capital is hampered by dirt roads... Read More ...
Related Items: Bosnia-Heregovina, Social Programs
 $25
Million Raised for Balkans Through Public-Private Partnership:
Donors Leverage Funds to Solidify Democracy
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the
German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), and the
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation are pleased to announce a
new $25 million initiative to support good governance in
Southeastern Europe. The grant-making effort, called the
Balkan Trust for Democracy, is a project of GMF made possible
through a public-private partnership between GMF, USAID,
and the Mott Foundation. Read
More ...
Back to Top ^ |
