Events
  • May 15, 2017


Federal Institute for Development Programming, the UNDP Local Integrated Development Project and the Government of the Posavina Canton, organized a meeting of practitioners engaged in development planning in Orašje, from 10th to 12th May, 2017. The aim of the meeting was to exchange good practices and experience within the system of development planning, implementation of development strategies and development projects in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting was also attended by practitioners from all cantons (except USK), Orašje Municipality, Odžak Municipality, Domaljevac-Šamac Municipality and Swiss Embassy in BiH.

At the very beginning of the meeting, all participants were welcomed by Mr Marijan Klaić, Prime Minister of the Posavina Canton, who presented the steps in the process of establishing the cantonal development planning system as well as the economic potentials of three Posavina municipalities. Mr Franko Kljajic, Director of Office for Economic Development, spoke about development projects, while Mr Darko Kasap, Minister of Economy and Physical Planning commented on the potentials of the Posavina Canton economy, pointing that the networking of domestic capital with diaspora capital is still considered as unused potential of the Posavina Region. The hosts in Orašje also presented projects and good practices of support to entrepreneurs such as the Orašje Business Center, the Business Zone Dusina and the Temax Company, as well as the new Orasje Cultural and Sports Center as an example of multi-partner’s project.

The second day of the meeting, a visit to Vukovar-Srijem County was organized to see their experiences in development projects and the role of cantonal development agencies. A focus was on the strategic planning issues and implementation of EU funds projects. The participants visited Business Innovation Center BIC Vukovar, funded by the EU funds from the European Regional Development Fund.

The last day of the meeting of the Practitioners' Network was devoted to the presentation of the Law on Development Planning and Management in FBiH. Representative of the Federal Institute for Development Programming presented the basic provisions of the Law as well as the future steps in implementation of the Law. The by-laws needed to be created were discuessed, as well as the FBiH Development Strategy, and the establishment of the FBiH and Cantonal Development Council.

On the occasion, the need for adequate and timely information of interested parties at all levels of government (federal, cantonal, local) on the Law, was emphasized. It was agreed that concrete activities would be undertaken in the forthcoming period in order to inform better the relevant actors at all levels of government in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the end of the work, through an overview of individual situations in cantons and municipalities, it was concluded that the quality of the FBiH development planning and management system is continuously increasing. There is a problem with public officers capable to propose and implement EU projects, who leave the institutions looking for better oportunities, has been highlighted. It is also noted that the entry into force of the Law on Development Planning and Management has accelerated the quality improvement, but for cantons is necessary to analyze what they should do in the context of their adaptation to the provisions of the Law.

Most of cantons have already institutionalized development units and now need to approach their further strengthening and positioning. Those cantons who have not yet institutionalized development planning units will approach their establishment and strengthening in the coming period. Some cantons, primarily because of the focus on EU processes in the previous period, have not yet formulated / upgraded the functions and composition of cantonal development boards, and have not finalized and formally adopted action plans for the period 2017 - 2019 and reports for 2016.