As one of Project activities ("Implementation of Development Strategy and Social Inclusion Strategy biH - SR / SSU BiH"), along with all needed trainings and workshops for project beneficiaries, a study visit to Institutions of Switzerland was organized during the period from October 28 till November 11, in order to learn about the Swiss experience related to the country's development strategy.
The study visit to Switzerland was organized for officers involved in the, officers in implementation units of Federal Institute for Development Programming and cantonal units, as well as representative of the Directorate for Economic Planning.
Goal of the visit was the transfer of knowledge gained from the practice useful for BiH authorities in the process of drafting and implementing the development strategies at the lower level of governments, but also to see a functional coordination of sustainable development planning at various administrative levels in Switzerland.
During the five days, we visited Center for Development and Environment of the Bern University, the Environmental and Energy Coordination Unit for Canton Bern (AUE), the Federal Office for Spatial Planning (ARE) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The presentation of Regiosuisse - the national network for regional development held at the SECO reminded on the importance of the networking for exchange of knowledge and experience. We also visited Canton Soloturn, as an example of an less developed canton.
The participants of the visit gained valuable experience and insight into the sustainable development planning system in Switzerland, as well as the inter-relation of state organs, cantons and municipalities. The cooperation between FZZPR and Swiss institutions (SECO and ARE) has been established with possible further development.