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Bosnia and Herzegovina

Website of the SDC in Bosnia and Herzegovina: www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/bosniaandherzegovina/

Switzerland is providing long term support to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina’s transition towards a democratic society with a free market economy. Swiss cooperation above all aims to support political reform, economic development and the expansion and improvement of the healthcare sector.

In the 20 years since the end of the war Bosnia and Herzegovina has made political and economic progress and is now aiming to become a member of the European Union (EU). Since the Dayton Peace Agreement of 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina has evolved within adual-state concept consisting of 10 cantons. Rather than government through acentral administration however, the political arena is dominated by the «Republika Srpska» and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This state of affairs is holding up the country’s political development and slowing down accession to the EU.

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Governance
Citizens taking their future into their ownhands
Improved cooperation between national and sub-national authorities together with greater participation by civil society have helped strengthen political stability while contributing to decentralisation. For example, between 2008 and 2012 about one million citizens helped to draw up plans for local community development, as a result of which they now benefit from a higher quality of community service.

In addition to reforms in the domain of justice, the SDC fosters efforts to enhance the rural infrastructure, while the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is concerned with the urban infrastructure. The 90,000 inhabitants of Prijedor have permanent access to drinking water today thanks to the refurbishment of the municipal water system.

Employment and income
Some 1,700 new jobs for youth
Switzerland is supporting reforms in both the private and public sectors in an effort to promote sustainable development and job creation. This is being achieved through projects promoting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), income and investmentstimulation, and microfinancing.

Efforts are being made through other projects to improve the employability of the younger generations. A youth employment programme in collaboration with the private sector aided by a market-oriented approach made it possible for 1700 persons aged between 18 and 30 to find employment in the period between 2008 and 2012. The SECO is also promoting investment and helping to improve market access and develop basic urban infrastructure.

Healthcare
300,000 gain access to medical assistance
Despite efforts to improve the healthcare sector over the past decade Bosnia and Herzegovina still lags behind other countries in the West Balkans. Thanks to an SDC project, 26% of the population, particularly in the rural areas, have gained improved access to medical care in so-called «Family Medical Centres». Some 12,000 doctors and nursing staff are on hand to provide medical services of a high standard to an estimated 300,000 local residents in their own communities.

Migration partnerships and regional activities
In addition to collaboration in three priority areas Switzerland has been engaged in a migration partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2009. The SDC works with the Federal Office for Migration in the framework of the international migration cooperation strategy for 2012 –15.

Bosnia and Herzegovina also participates in regional programmes in the areas of research, culture and police reform - programmes that are helping to improve exchanges between Switzerland and the countries of South-Eastern Europe.

Multilateral cooperation
Switzerland supports various multilateral actors active in Bosnia and Herzegovina such as the Office of the High Representative, the World Bank and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), helping to improve the coordination of donor activities.

History of Swiss cooperation
From emergency aid and reconstruction to assistance with transition
During and after the 1992 –95 war, Switzerland provided emergency aid and assisted with reconstruction. In 1999, the focus shifted to long-term support for the development of a market economy and democratic reform as well as efforts to achieve reconciliation between the various ethnic groups (Bosniak, Serb, Croat). Efforts to stabilise Bosnia and Herzegovina have been an important part of Swiss foreign policy, not least because of the large number of Bosnian refugees living in Switzerland.

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Background information Bosnia and Herzegovina

Facts and figures
Surface area Population Annual population growth rate (since 1990) Life expectancy at birth women / men Adult illiteracy rate: women / men Gross Domestic Product GDP per capita Percentage of population with less than 2 USD per day	51'210 3.752 -0.2 78.2 / 73.0 3.5 / 0.6 4'820.7 ..	km2 mill. % years % USD %
Source: World Bank's World Development Indicators 2013

Background information provided by the BBC

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Local SDC contact address:

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo)
Swiss Cooperation Office Bosnia and Herzegovina Pirusa 1 71000 Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina
Phone	+387 332 54030
Fax	+387 332 71500
Email	sarajevo@sdc.net
Website	www.swiss-cooperation.admin.ch/bosniaandherzegovina/

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	Additional Information and Documents Here, you will find more publications, links, documents and articles about Swiss development cooperation and humanitarian aid in this country.