Dr. Lagumdzija held a number of bilateral meetings in London related to preparations of the donor conference for repairing damage caused by floods in B&H



Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dr. Zlatko Lagumdzija held a number of bilateral meetings with heads of international organizations (EBRD, UNDP, ICRC) as well as Ministers of Foreign Affairs (United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Qatar and Croatia) during his participation at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. The main topic of all discussions was the damage caused by catastrophic floods that hit B&H but also preparations for the forthcoming donor conference aimed at gathering funds necessary for recovery of the country.  

In conversation with Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, Catherine Ashton, Dr. Lagumdzija, once more, thanked for emergency aid the EU provided to B&H until the present day but also informed his interlocutor about the scope of catastrophic floods as well as received her full support for the upcoming donor conference. Interlocutors agreed that the European Commission should show equal standards and solidarity towards Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia, regardless of various statuses these countries have concerning their EU membership or stage in the integration process.  

Repairing flood damage and recovery of the country were topics for discussion between Dr. Lagumdzija and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs William Hague. In conversation was pointed out that the United Kingdom should have the lead role concerning B&H in the future.

 

Dr. Lagumdzija also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium Didier Reynders with whom he discussed activities to follow in our country and which are related to recovery and reconstruction, reflation, creating new jobs as well organizing the donor conference. 

 

At the meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada John Baird, Dr. Lagumdzija informed his interlocutor about forthcoming activities that should ensure necessary funds by means of organizing the donor conference in order to restore enormous damage B&H endured. “Canada will provide its contribution for activities to follow”, emphasized Minister Baird.

With Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn, Dr. Lagumdzija also discussed how to repair damage caused by catastrophic floods in B&H. Dr. Lagumdzija expressed gratitude to Luxembourg for provided emergency aid and emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is entering the recovery and reconstruction phase where the EU is expected to be the leader in the process, in the same way as it was in the first phase of assistance.   

Development programs targeted to post-flood reconstruction of B&H as well as initiating new projects were topics of discussion between Dr. Lagumdzija and Minister for International Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of Sweden Hillevi Engstrom.

Dr. Lagumdzija and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Vesna Pusic discussed on possible presentation of joint projects toward potential donors aimed at not only repair of damage caused by catastrophic floods that affected B&H and Croatia but also prevention of new damage caused by natural disasters. Once again, Dr. Lagumdzija thanked Minister Pusic whose intervention was crucial for Croatia to become the first to offer aid and send rescue teams and helicopters and which provided significant contribution in rescuing the population endangered by floods. 

During the meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, Dr. Lagumdzija thanked for emergency aid which the State of Qatar delivered to the population in affected areas of B&H. Interlocutors agreed that organizing the donor conference to repair damage caused by floods is a necessary step because Bosnia and Herzegovina, alone, is not capable of financing recovery and reconstruction of the country. Minister Al Attiyah pointed out that Qatar will participate at the donor conference but also lobby during the forthcoming meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to include this organization as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to be actively involved concerning the donor conference.

At the meeting with Under-Secretary-General of the UN and UNDP Administrator Helen Clark Dr. Lagumdzija expressed gratitude to UNDP for provided emergency aid for alleviating consequences of the biggest natural disaster that hit our country in the last 120 years. He pointed out excellent cooperation with the UN Team in B&H that reacted promptly and which, together with B&H institutions, work on alleviating consequences caused by floods and flood damage assessment that will be the basis for the upcoming donor conference and recovery of the country. He highlighted that B&H is expecting the recovery phase in which priority should be given to reconstruction of housing units so that people, whose homes are damaged or totally destroyed during floods, could have a roof over their heads. Special attention should be dedicated to aid intended for business entities that suffered enormous damage in order to keep existing and open new jobs in the process of recovery and reconstruction of the country.  

In London, Dr. Lagumdzija also met with Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for Western Balkans Claudio Viezzoli. In light of the need for recovery of flood-affected areas, modalities for broadening cooperation between B&H and the EBRD were agreed throughout directing the most favourable credit arrangements for urgent needs and opening new credit lines with better terms.  

In conversation with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer, Dr. Lagumdzija expressed gratitude for timely reaction and assistance provided by the ICRC. He emphasized that current actions are directed towards successful preventing of epidemics and various contagious diseases in B&H. Our country is now expecting the phase of recovery and reconstruction whose primary goal is to ensure roof over heads for B&H citizens affected by floods, renew health facilities and schools, basic communications and do whatever is necessary to keep existing and create new jobs. “The ICRC will continue to provide assistance to B&H”, stated the ICRC President.

Dr. Lagumdzija specifically thanked Angelina Jolie for the donation she provided to our country for the purpose of alleviating consequences of floods.