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Title: The diaspora – a key element for BiH’s development Author: Heinrich Maurer, Ambassador of Switzerland to Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina is the country in Europe with the largest share of its population living abroad. Up to 2 million compatriots live all over the world. Approximately 60’000 of them in Switzerland. My Government has commissioned a studyi about this diaspora which revealed some interesting results. People from BiH emigrated to Switzerland during three different periods. In the 1960s and 1980s as economic migrants and in the early 1990s as war refugees. While the first generation of emigrants didn’t easily learn one of the four Swiss national languages, the second one picked it up without big problems and therefore became much better integrated into the Swiss society. Common to both generations is the strong attachment to their home country. However, the sense of identity felt by BiH migrants is mostly fragmented as a result of the last conflict in their country. The stories gathered in the study show the rifts in the population. There is not one BiH diaspora in Switzerland but three. Nevertheless, there are also diaspora groups at work who rally their compatriots around a common cause through reconstruction efforts in BiH or the restoration of its heritage. We all know that the different international cooperation programmes in Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot last forever. As a consequence, BiH needs to strengthen sustainable ways and means for further developing the country. In this endeavour the diaspora plays a crucial role. According to World Bank figures, remittances of the BiH diaspora have a 13% share to the country’s GDP. The remittances of the Swiss BiH diaspora in 2012 amounted to 130 million KM which is 3 ½ times the annual budget for all Swiss cooperation projects in this country. Through the contacts and visits in my guest country, I have witnessed many examples showing the high value of the diaspora for this country. When I recently asked a Swiss entrepreneur about his reasons to establish a factory in BiH, he answered that one third of his working force in Switzerland has a BiH background. These people, he said, will therefore take the lead in the set-up of the new company and the training of its workforce. Often under the “radar” of the Embassy people from the diaspora are initiating numerous projects of exchange and cooperation between our two countries. Not to forget the immediate and substantial support the BiH population was able to count on when it was affected by the terrible floods last year. Because the diaspora calls on different identities and social networks it has a special potential of acting as a bridge-builder.

 

   

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In 2009 Switzerland and BiH started a migration partnership in which migration challenges ranging from border control, asylum to readmission questions are treated and concrete measures and projects realized. One of its objectives is to strengthen the potential of the diaspora for the benefit of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s development. With the financial and organizational support of Switzerland a group of individuals of the Swiss BiH diaspora is in the process of establishing a platform linking formal diaspora associations, informal diaspora groups and individual diaspora members in Switzerland on the one hand with actors at all levels in BiH on the other hand. Their main objective is to strengthen the contribution of the diaspora for the development of BiH through information and knowledge exchange. The initiative wants to intensify the network and the institutional contacts between partners and actors on both sides. My country is also supporting other diaspora projects as the establishment of diaspora offices as focal points in municipalities and cities together with the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees and UNDP. I am convinced that the diaspora is a key factor for the development of a country like BiH if some factors are taken into account.

-­   First, the diaspora should not be seen as a cash cow which is endlessly sending money to its country of origin. The diaspora has to be treated with respect and should itself get something back. It needs to be informed in a transparent way how and what for its resources are used and it should be recognized as a partner with knowledge and skills of a different background and perspective. A relationship on an equal footing is therefore important. As it is stated in a recently published diaspora report of the Republic of Ireland: “It is of importance to understand diaspora perceptions and needs. Engagement with diaspora has to be a two-way process, and key question to answer is what our diaspora want.” On the other hand, also the diaspora has to behave itself in a sensible way in the home country. A behaviour of superiority would be not conducive.

-­   Second, confidence is also important. The commitment of the diaspora will increase when a trustful relationship with the partners in its country of origin is established. The Swiss government tries to enhance the confidence building process in the case of projects like the one of the mentioned diaspora platform through its complementary support.

-­   Third, the differentiation between financial and social remittances has to be recognized. Both are important, financial remittances through money transfers and credits given to families, friends and institutions, as well as social remittances, which comprise skills and know how transfer. In the long run, the latter are more relevant and useful. They will help to reduce the brain drain which BiH is still suffering from.

 

   

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-­   Fourth, a challenge BiH faces is to divert at least some of the remittances into investment rather than just domestic consumption. An investment in a company which creates jobs and income or in an institution which trains people has a bigger impact on the development of this country than a simple money transfer to finance the construction of a house.

-­   And finally, connections and communication are probably what count most to include the diaspora further in the development of the country. And here we have good news: the toolbox of communication has been spread and become much easier in the last two decades through e-mail, twitter, facebook, skype etc. This helps to bring people and good ideas together.

Reading the above mentioned report about Ireland’s new diaspora policy I became aware that diaspora policy needs a strong strategic element. Ireland was for a long time a poor country with mass emigration. This changed in the 1990s also due to its excellent connections and relations to the widespread diaspora all over the world. BiH should be inspired by examples like the Irish one to bring this country forward - also with a well-established cooperation with its compatriots abroad.

                                                                                                                         i  https://www.sem.admin.ch/dam/data/sem/publiservice/publikationen/diaspora/diasporastudie-­bosnien-­e.pdf