International Organisation for Migration

To rebuild a country, you need more than bricks and mortar. You need flesh and blood. You need professional people like doctors and engineers.

IOM, the International Organisation for Migration, concentrates on bringing home the sorts of people they believe will be the most helpful in rebuilding Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1996 IOM set up the "Return of Qualified Nationals" (RQN) programme: a three-year project to sponsor 1,000 skilled and highly qualified Bosnians currently residing in host countries outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, but wishing to return and contribute to the reconstruction process.

So far, more than 650 persons have returned and are now employed in both the public and private sectors. People have come back from many countries including Germany, Sweden, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Austria. Among them are economists, lawyers, engineers, doctors, pharmacists, gynaecologists and teachers.

By Nail Osmancevic

The IOM also operates a 'two-way return' programme between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The scheme is still in the start-up phase but links have already been established with the UNHCR, the Croatian Government Office for Refugees and Displaced Persons, municipal authorities for refugees in Republika Srpska and municipal information centres in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The German Government Financial Support Programme (GARP) is also very important for returnees from Germany. Returnee families receive half of the funds set aside for them while in Germany and the other half upon their return to Bosnia and Herzegovina. IOM takes care of this process.

Revitalisation of the economy and employment increase

IOM's Economic regeneration (EREG) programme is extremely important for Bosnia and Herzegovina in general, and for the regions of Una-Sana Canton and Banja Luka in particular. The programme, which is funded by the European Commission, encourages economic and social revitalisation and employment in these regions through the return of Bosnian citizens from European Union member states. It also supports the development of private businesses and the reconstruction of infrastructure.

IOM's partners on the ground for this particular scheme are national, regional and local government departments in the Federation BiH and Republika Srpska. Work on the programme began in 1998 and was completed at the end of March 1999. Self-employment projects have also received EREG support to the tune of 200,000 EURO. So far 40 people who returned home both from European Union member states and from within Bosnia and Herzegovina have benefited from this particular scheme.

Equipment, raw material and business premises

The EREG programme also runs a project aimed at encouraging highly skilled people to return to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under the scheme, some 40 highly qualified individuals were selected to work in 'priority' sectors identified by the IOM and local authorities. These included, most significantly, health care and education. Infrastructure vestments have also been made in areas where the highly skilled returnees and businessmen are likely to live. This should ensure that they have a suitable working and living environment on their return.

Facilities of life importance

Towns like Bihac, Banja Luka, Velika Kladusa, Bosanska Krupa, Gradiska have undoubtedly benefited from IOM's efforts. The organisations helped to rebuild the main school in Bihac, one of the largest in the region, creating excellent conditions for education and sports activities. The same goes for the local school in Rajnovac in the Velika Kladusa region.

Before IOM rebuilt the school, pupils were taught in old, poorly equipped classrooms. Elsewhere, health workers returning to Velika Kladusa were able to move into comfortable apartments and their colleagues in nearby Jezersko are also very happy.

They have a new polyclinic equipped with two comfortable staff apartments and state-of-the-art medical equipment. More than 8,000 persons, most of them women and children, now benefit from services of the Jezersko polyclinics.

IOM has also carried out reconstruction work on water and electricity supply systems in Martin Brod in Bihac municipality. This particular project has enabled a large number of Serb refugees and displaced persons to return home.

Banja Luka: the new health care centre

It would not have been possible to re-build and re-equip the Caritas health care centre in Banja Luka without donors. In this particular case the local people have the Government of Luxembourg and the European Commission-backed EREG programme to thank for improvements to the everyday life of their town. The new centre will provide a complete health care service and includes a number of specialised departments including an ultrasound wing, a modern laboratory and a pharmacy. The centre will employ 30 doctors and nurses.

Samira Cejvan, who works as an assistant to Una-Sana Canton's Minister for Reconstruction, Development and Supervision, says IOM's work in her region could serve as a useful model for other organisations. "It is pleasure for the Una-Sana Canton Government to see the effects achieved by making operational some of the old facilities and certainly, it is a great pleasure for those who use them", she added.

Prosperous future

Zeljko Marjanovic, owns a furniture manufacturing company, Milanka Tadic is a pastry chef, Milenko Grebenar a beekeeper and Milan Rakic owns a construction company. All of these men say that they and many other small businesses have benefited from IOM grants and expertise. They say that the donations will help them create a prosperous future for themselves and their families.

For more information:
IOM Sarajevo
tel.: + 387 71 651 829 or 656 436
fax.: + 387 71 656 481
e-mail: sarajevo@iom.ch