GIZ Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro

Last week was transformative for more than 40 young people from the Western Balkans who participated in the Youth Summer Camp in Bijeljina! They dove into learning about gender equality and peacebuilding through innovative methods that booster their communication skills and critical thinking thinking. Beyond that, they forged new friendships and had an amazing time together! Check out these moments captured in the photos below. Regional Youth Cooperation Office - RYCO #Sport4Development #forumZFD #Superschools

🌐 Smart Cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Stepping into a Digital Future 🌐 Sarajevo hosted the "Smart City Impact" conference, celebrating strides towards smart cities in BiH. This event marked the culmination of the "Smart Cities - Towards the Digital Transformation of Cities in BiH" project, uniting government representatives, local authorities, academia, digitization experts, and IT companies. Key speakers, including GIZ BiH Programme Manager Hannah Heil and Minister of Transport and Communications Edin Forto, highlighted the importance of digitization and the successful pilot projects in Prijedor, Zenica, Tešanj, Zvornik, and Pale. Pilot municipalities implemented real-case lighthouse projects: Prijedor, Zenica, and Tešanj received the GoParking smart application from LANACO, using modern technology for efficient parking management. Pale and Zvornik implemented the Citizen Patrol app from DVC Solutions, enhancing communication between institutions and citizens. Together, we are making significant strides towards a smarter, more connected future. 🚀✨ The financing of the measure was provided by the develoPPP program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). #SmartCities #DigitalTransformation #BosniaAndHerzegovina #Innovation #GIZ #SmartCityImpact

🎨 Art, in its various forms, has long been recognized not only for its aesthetic value but also for its profound capacity to heal and educate. Across different cultures and throughout history, art has served as a powerful tool for emotional, physical, and spiritual healing. It acts as a universal language that transcends borders, connecting people across cultures and communities. As part of the adapted HEART (Healing and Education through the Arts) activity, a training session was held at the Bihać Faculty of Law, where participants were tasked with painting that reminded them of home, their country, favorite song, favorite food, favorite city, and their vision for the future. This unique opportunity allowed each participant to express their personal and emotional connections to these topics. The workshop included people on the move from TRC Lipa and local students from the Faculty of Law. Our trainers supported participants throughout the creative process, encouraging them to explore and express their identities through art. Music played in the background, helping participants relax and connect with their emotions, translating their feelings onto paper through mini graffiti. The resulting artworks reflected individual perspectives and fostered a deeper understanding and respect among all participants. This activity not only strengthened mutual connection and a sense of togetherness but also laid the foundation for further personal and group growth. This activity was organized within the regional project "Social participation of people on the move and local population in host regions of the Western Balkans" implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

📢 Insights on Doing Business in the CEFTA Region!   🔵 At BECA, we recognize the value of accessible and reliable data for the e-commerce sector. The insights provided by platforms like ecommerce4all.eu are instrumental in helping our members and stakeholders make informed decisions about entering and expanding in the regional market.  🟢 According to the Ease of Doing Business index, North Macedonia is the most favorable market for doing business in the CEFTA region, ranking 17th out of 190 countries globally. This ranking highlights the country's regulatory performance and business-friendly environment.  🔵 The Ease of Doing Business ranking compares economies based on their regulatory performance across various indicators. North Macedonia's impressive ranking showcases its commitment to fostering a conducive environment for business operations.  🟢 For more detailed information about the Ease of Doing Business in the CEFTA region, explore the Data Module at ecommerce4all.eu. This platform offers valuable data that supports businesses in navigating the e-commerce landscape in the region.  🔵 The ecommerce4all.eu platform is supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, commissioned by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), as part of the Open Regional Fund for South-East Europe – Foreign Trade .  ℹ️ Stay informed and empower your business with the latest insights from ecommerce4all.eu!   #BECA #EaseOfDoingBusiness #CEFTA #Ecommerce4All #BusinessInsights #DigitalEconomy #RegionalGrowth #GIZ #EU 

➡️ Yesterday a conference titled '𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐒𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬' was held in Sarajevo which brought together industry experts and SMEs to share success stories and insights on navigating the green transition. 🌱 The event showcased the benefits of green business models and current achievements, emphasizing the importance of systemic policies and alignment with EU standards for the sustainable growth and competitiveness of BIH companies. 🤝 The economic future of Bosnia and Herzegovina is connected to the European green transition. German development cooperation is committed to supporting the private sector in BIH by promoting the adoption of green and digital practices, aiding their integration into the EU market. 𝘖𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘍𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 (𝘉𝘔𝘡), 𝘋𝘦𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘧ü𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘡𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘵 (𝘎𝘐𝘡) 𝘎𝘮𝘣𝘏 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘰𝘴𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘻𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘢'𝘴 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

🔋 SECAP represents a key energy document that provides precise and clear guidelines for implementing energy efficiency measures, using renewable energy sources, and adapting to climate change at the city and municipality levels. 🌍 Representatives from Banovići, Lukavac, Petrovo, Pristina, Kolašin, Podgorica, Berovo, Kumanovo, and Skopje came together for a five-day training in Petrovac, Montenegro. The training aimed to empower Western Balkan cities and municipalities in sustainable energy and climate action by providing technical advisory support in developing and implementing Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs). Key highlights: 🔹 Hands-on project development for upcoming EU Interreg Calls. 🔹 Expert guidance on funding opportunities from the EU, IFIs, and local funds. 🔹 Mastering project cycle management and proposal development. 🔹 Tailored mentorship for successful funding applications. Participants have kick-started the project description phase, which will continue in the coming period, leading to the finalisation of the project proposal preparation. Following the training, participants are highly motivated to complete the project descriptions and prepare project proposals. 🚀✨ The training is organised within the framework of the „EU4 Energy transition: Covenant of Mayors in the Western Balkans and Türkiye“, co-financed by the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH #RegionalClimatePartnership

💻 Summer IT and Programming classes in Hadžići! 🗺 As part of the regional project "Social participation of people on the move and local population in host regions of the Western Balkans," World Vision in BiH, in collaboration with the Youth Association "START" from Hadžići, organized summer programming course for its users. 🏫 The course is held at the Secondary School Center Hadžići, with classes having started on July 9, 2024, and scheduled twice a week. In this summer programming school, users of the temporary reception center will be introduced to the basics of programming in the Python programming language. A beginner computer course is offered for those interested in getting started with computers, guided by students from the local community. 📖 In organizing this interesting and meaningful activity, we emphasize the significant assistance of six programmers from the Start Association and their role in the training, as well as the opportunity for meaningful interaction between school participants from the local community and participants from PPC Ušivak. 👏 The participants were really happy about learning and working together with the local community. They are excited to keep learning and making progress until the summer school ends. This activity was organized within the regional project "Social participation of people on the move and local population in host regions of the Western Balkans" implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The Regional AEO Association is dedicated to supporting and advancing the interests of Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs) in the Western Balkans region. Through regular meetings, policy development, and advocacy, the Association aims to address the challenges faced by its members and promote best practices in the industry.   They held its second meeting of 2024, which aimed to address critical updates and strategic planning for the upcoming period. The meeting focused on providing updates on the AEO Association's latest developments and overview of the significant progress made since the election of the Board of Directors (BoD). Members of the AEO Association discussed in-depth the issues faced by AEOs in the region - AEO members voiced the challenges they continue to encounter and outlined their expectations from the AEO Association in addressing these issues. The meeting also included a thorough review of the upcoming Policy/Position Paper, determining its focus areas and key messages, and setting clear goals and timelines for the Association’s activities for the rest of the year. To enhance the effectiveness of the BoD, sessions on best practices for lobbying and strategies for increasing membership within the Association were held. They also met with Customs Administration of North Macedonia, to discuss on the need of the realization of the benefits AEO status should provide and strengthening cooperation with other included agencies.   This meeting marks a significant step in our ongoing efforts, through EU and the German Government support, to uphold AEOs across the region and ensure their voices are heard and acted upon. Milica Dragojevic Richard Chopra Olgica Nakova GIZ North Macedonia GIZ Albania GIZ Kosovo GIZ Serbia

➡ Over the past three years, with the support of the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken significant steps towards digitalization and innovation. This is crucial for meeting European standards and shaping BIH future in the global market. Launched in 2021, the "Innovation and Digitalization in SMEs in BiH/EU4DigitalSME" project has: 🔹 Established four Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs): Its4Health HUB and DigitalStorm HUB in Sarajevo, IDEMO HUB in Banja Luka, and Industrial HUB in Tuzla. 🔹 Established a supportive political framework for digital transformation. 🔹 Strengthened cooperation with institutions in BIH, such as Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Agency for Identification Documents, Registers and Data Exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina (IDDEEA) 🔹 Strengthened SME capacities to apply digital technologies. 🔹 Conducted awareness campaigns, workshops, webinars, and practical training sessions on innovation and digitalization. This project has also led to BIH signing the agreement to participate in the EU's Digital Europe program, which opens up new opportunities for companies, public administrations, and organizations to apply for calls within the program. As the project is coming to an end, a heartfelt thank you to the partners and everyone working tirelessly on digitalization in BIH. Together, we are paving the way for a digital future! #DigitalTransformation #Innovation #EU4DigitalSME  

Daniel Passon, Director of Division Western Balkans, Central Asia, Eastern Europe at GIZ, during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, met with Maida Gorcevic, the Minister of European Affairs of Montenegro. He highlighted Montenegro's significant progress in European integration, as evidenced by the positive IBAR assessment at the latest Intergovernmental conference. Passon emphasized the critical opportunity presented by the current momentum in the integration process, urging sustained efforts and unwavering commitment. He also noted GIZ's long-standing engagement in Montenegro, collaborating with various institutions and successfully implementing projects. Montenegro is supported by regional Projects, financed by German Federal Government and European Union. “This demonstrates the German Federal Government's dedication to supporting the Western Balkans on their EU path,” stated Passon. Montenegro's progress is vital not only for its integration but also for fostering regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. The meeting was also attended by the German Ambassador to Montenegro, Peter Felten, and GIZ Country Director to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, Daniel Bagwitz. More at: https://lnkd.in/dJsSk2Ry