The event was also celebrated by the presence of representatives of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, the Embassy of Switzerland in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Switzerland, Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) and representatives of several municipalities of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Cazin, Laktaši and Posušje).  

The forum focused on the launching of the i-platform and presentation of its strategy for the period 2017-2019. The initiative i-platform aims to facilitate a successful and sustainable cooperation between the diaspora and Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as to actively contribute to the economic development of Bosnia and Herzegovina through inter-sectoral cooperation, including in the field of education, science, culture and social inclusion. The forum also facilitated an exchange of ideas, projects and contacts between organisations and institutions from Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

While opening the forum, the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ms Andrea Rauber Saxer, stressed that ''the support of the Swiss Government to the i-platform project was based on the vision that diaspora representatives were natural bridge-builders'' and she added that ''the Government of Switzerland believed that the i-platform had the potential to make a considerable contribution to the progress and prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina''. Mr Kemo Sarač spoke on behalf of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, which is trying to include representatives of the diaspora in Switzerland in the development of the Diaspora Cooperation Policy, and, among other things, he said that ''the relation between the state and the diaspora should be transparent, based on trust, respect and reciprocity'' as well as that ''the diaspora was both an obligation and potential''.

In addition to entrepreneurs that already have successful businesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the wood-processing industry, eco-tourism and health food production, the panel on success stories was also attended by the Executive Director of FIPA and representatives of municipalities Cazin, Posušje and Laktaši,  who are in charge of diaspora issues. They jointly analysed the potentials and advantages of Bosnia and Herzegovina as an investment destination, but also the disadvantages that hinder investments and successful business operations. One of the conclusions was also that problems, in spite of a high unemployment rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina, frequently regarded a lack of adequately educated and trained labour force, legislative framework, administrative obstacles and lack of trust. Another conclusion was that the potentials were great and that the situation improved in this field over the past years, especially as a result of the inclusion of local communities, but that there was much more to be done for the purpose of a more effective inclusion of the diaspora in the sustainable development of Bosnia and Herzegovina and that, given the success stories at the local level, it was necessary to step up the efforts and invest more in improved communication and proactively include the diaspora in the development of relevant policies.

Please find attached the detailed report about the Forum of the BiH Diaspora in Switzerland.

Gallery:
Facebook Page i-platform

Links:
Embassy of Switzerland in Bosnia and Herzegovina
FIPA - Foreign Investment Promotion Agency
CazinNet - Website of the city Cazin