Under the High Auspices of H.E. Adnan Terzic, Chairman of the Council of
Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entering the Bosnia and Herzegovina market...
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS GROUP
c/o European Finance Convention Foundation
Brussels Rep. Office: Lenneke Marelaan 30, B 1932 Zaventem, Tel.: +32 2 733
5940 Fax: +32 2 733 6440
London Office: Suite 35, West Kensington Mansions, UK London W14 9PF, Tel: +44
20 7381 9291 Fax: +44 870 134 0064
CEE & SEE Office: Bulevar Lenjina 10d/I, YU Belgrade, Tel: +381 11 311 1257
Fax: +381 11 311 1787
: info@euroconvention.com -
: http://www.euroconvention.com
Introduction
Simultaneous with the process of reconstruction, Bosnia and Herzegovina is
entering a phase of positive economic development and economic stability. At the
five donor conferences, held so far, (the international community - countries
and international organisations, friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina) committed
themselves to donating $ 5,582 billion for the reconstruction of Bosnia and
Herzegovina. From these pledged funds, approximately two thirds have been
allocated or will be shortly. The largest donors for reconstruction of Bosnia
and Herzegovina are the European Union (EU), the World Bank, the Governments of
the United States of America, Japan, and Islamic countries amongst others
Thanks to these donations, major infrastructure reconstruction has taken place
along with a large number of housing projects. This has opened up new markets
for mortgage and leasing products.
Consequently, conditions for promoting new investments and development of the
economy are now in place with emphasis on Road Construction, electric Power,
Water and Water Waste and on SMEs. Bank consolidation and improving access to
finance for Micro enterprises through credit lines with local banks are at
present a priority. Bosnia and Herzegovina is also working actively on reforms
of its legal system and monetary policy. All these offers increasing
opportunities for strategic foreign investors.
Bosnia and Herzegovina today has a very stable and convertible currency,
completely tied to the DEM/EURO. This currency, Convertible Mark (KM), is one of
the most stable national currencies in Southeast Europe.
In the year 2000, the rate of economic growth was above 10%, and it is expected
to continue to be between 10-15% for the next two years. The main sectors in
which growth has taken place are in service and light industry, with small and
medium enterprises (SME) leading this process. Inflation is under control,
thanks to the engagement of the Currency Board and relatively strict fiscal
policy.
According to the provisions of the Law on Policy and Foreign Direct Investments
(FDI), foreign investors have the right to open an account in national or
convertible currency in any commercial bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina; convert
KM into any other convertible currency, and to have free and undisturbed
transfer abroad of all incomes realised by the investments in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Local and foreign citizens have the right to open foreign currency
bank accounts in all authorised commercial banks, as well as the right of free
disposal of funds and their withdrawal.
Why to Invest in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
"Bosnia and Herzegovina . . . Good workforce, good customers, good results.
Is anything else important?"
Mr. Jean-Francois LE ROCH
Director for Eastern Europe
Group Intermache (France)
Bosnia and Herzegovina is ideally located - at the crossroads between West and
East, the Mediterranean and Continent, and only two hours by air from European
business centres;
Bosnia and Herzegovina companies have a rich tradition of successful
participation in international projects all over the world (before the war, some
of the companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina were among world leaders in their
respective fields);
It has a highly qualified and motivated labour force, very skilled in foreign
languages:
It has a highly hospitable environment with a long tradition of customers
service;
It has a stable and convertible currency linked to DEM/EURO;
95% of products from Bosnia and Herzegovina are exempted from all taxes when
exported in EU countries;
Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoys trading preferences when its goods are exported
to a number of other countries;
Foreign investors have the same rights as local investors;
The rights of foreign investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina are specifically
protected;
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a modern telecommunications network;
Bosnia and Herzegovina is an important producer and exporter of electric power
in the region;
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo) is a serious candidate for the Winter
Olympic Games in 2010 (Sarajevo previously hosted the Winter Olympic Games in
1984).
International Conference From Transition to Development Globalisation and the Political Economy of Development in Transition
Economies
Sarajevo, 10-11 October 2003
SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS
The Faculty of Economics at the University of Sarajevo, together with CID
(Centre for International Development, Bologna), the Department of Economic
Sciences at the University of Bologna, CERT (Centre for Economic Reform and
Transformation) at the Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, The World Bank Country
Office Bosnia and Herzegovina and UNDP Country Office Bosnia and Herzegovina,
jointly organise the International Conference on Globalisation and the Political
Economy of Development in Transition Economies From Transition to Development,
which will take place on Oct 10th and 11th, 2003 in Sarajevo (BH).
The Conference Organising Committee invites academics, scholars and
professionals to submit their papers for the Conference. Deadline for submission
are shown below.
Conference Background
The huge gap in incomes that divides the world's rich and poor nations is the
fundamental economic fact of our time. Since the starting points for most of the
countries in the world were not as far apart as today before the industrial
revolution, it is clear that the explanation must be sought in some differences
in the long-term growth rates of per-capita income. The interest of development
economists has recently focused on four major areas of research: the
determinants of long-term growth; inequality and disparity in the levels of
income, as well as poverty and famine; sustainable development and the lack,
exhaustion and limited access to resources; and the role of institutions and
laws. Economic development can be attributed, broadly speaking, to three
factors: geography, i.e. natural resources and endowments; integration, i.e.
trade and openness; and institutions, i.e. rules and norms as well as social
capital.
Against this backgroundand the four major themeseconomics of transition has
centred on the consequences of the fall of centralised planned economies (within
socialist political systems) and the adoption of decentralised markets.
Transition economics has thus focused on themes like privatisation and the
diminished role of the State in market economies, liberalisation, restructuring,
public finance, the political economy of large-scale economic reforms.
From a long-run perspective, transition from an economic system to another has
obviously important implications for economic development. Yet, since most of
the literature on transition has focused on the relatively high-income countries
of Central Europe, the typical themes of development have been neglected in this
literature. As it turns out, issues like inequality, poverty, institutions,
trade and growth are as important to transition economies as to any other
developing economy.
Conference Topics
Long-term differences in economic growth in developing and transition economies
Income distribution, inequality and poverty in developing and transition
economies Integration and trade: the effects of regional trade agreements,
openness, and trade liberalisation on growth in developing and transition
economies The role of norms, institutions and social capital in transition and
developing economies Human capital, unemployment and the working of labour
markets in developing and transition economies Enterprise development and
corporate management in developing and transition economies Entrepreneurship,
management and marketing in transition economies Macroeconomic issues in
developing and transition economies: monetary and exchange rate policies; debt
and sovereignty; foreign aid and foreign direct investment The political economy
of transition: social capital, political context and the
ethnic/religious/cultural dimension of development Financing development of
transition economies and globalisation
The Conference will focus on the economic, political and social aspects of
development of Countries in Transition, with particular emphasis on Bosnia and
Herzegovina and all the Balkan countries.
Paper Submission and Selection
Contributed papers will be selected through a blind review process of a Extended
Abstracts (approximately 300 - 500 words) which should contain a clear
indication of the purpose of the research and its relationship with the
Conference topics, the approach used, the major results, and the implications.
Accepted papers will be published in the Conference Proceedings in cooperation
with Oxford University Presss.
Guidelines for Authors
· The official language of the Conference is English.
· Papers should be sent in a Microsoft Word for Windows (6.0 or higher)
format.
· Papers should be no longer than 20 pages (30-lines A4 format).
· Margins: all 2.5 cm or 1 inch, single-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman.
· First page, top half: Title, Author(s), Affiliation(s), Address(es),
· Telephone and fax number(s), E-mail(s), Track indication, Abstract (no
more than 100 words), Key Words (no more than four words).
· First page, bottom half: start of text. The text should be aligned on
left margin.
· The Title of the paper should be centred, in bold capital letters.
· Section headings should be numbered in appropriate order, flush left,
in capital letters.
· Tables and figures should be included in the text.
· References should be indicated in the text by consecutive numbers.
· Reference and citation style should follow AMA (www.ama.org)
or JMM (www.sagepub.co.uk) format.
References must be placed at the end of the document. Please write the book,
journal, or paper series in italics;
· The reference section, including all citations used, must be included
in the paper's numbered pages.
· Entries should appear in alphabetical order. If several works are cited
for any given author, write out the name of the author each time the name
appears.
UPDATED: Important dates and deadlines
Extended abstracts should be submitted by e-mail no later than June 30th, 2003,
with a clear indication of the authors, affiliations and contacts in the
separate page, to allow for the blind review process.
Contact authors will be notified only upon acceptance of their paper abstract by
July 15th, 2003.
Papers should be submitted by e-mail no later than October 10st, 2003.
Contact Information
Abstracts and papers should be sent to:
Centre for International Cooperation
Faculty of Economics
Trg Osloboenja 1, Sarajevo, BH
Attn Ass. Prof. Besim ulahovi, Ph.D.
e-mail: ices@efsa.unsa.ba
web: www.efsa.unsa.ba/ices2003
INSTITUTE FOR STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY IN BOSNIA
K o n j i c, Bosnia-Herzegovina
CALL FOR PAPERS and INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
at the
Sixth International Seminar "Democracy and Human Rights in Multiethnic
Societies"
Time: 7 - 11, July, 2003
Place: Konjic, B&H
http://www.bosnet.org/democracy_institute/ .
I hereby invite you to take part and call to submit papers at the Sixth
International Seminar "Democracy and Human Rights in Multiethnic Societies",
which is to be held from 7 - 11 July, 2003, in Konjic. Seminar is organized in
co-operation with Department of Comparative Politics and Rokkan Centre,
University of Bergen, Norway, and supported by the Project "The Politics of
Democratic and Welfare Development in South Eastern Europe: a Network for
Research and Education", backed by the Center for International University
Cooperation and Norwegian Research Council, Oslo.
In order to make tentative program, I kindly request you to submit as soon as
possible your proposals to organize panel, submit paper, take part in
discussions, or simply attend the seminar. Working titles of panels and
presentations are welcomed at this stage. Any other initiative on your part will
be highly appreciated.
For your information, the DS 2002 gathered people from 27 countries, while
inquiries and interests to take part came from 51 countries. Regrettably,
although the organizers have this time been able to invite a number of
participants from South East European countries, a bulk of our colleagues from
East European, Asian and African countries, interested to join us, were again
not able to come due to financial or visa obstacles.
Many participants from this year event vowed to come again. Such a growing
interest encourages us to continue with our friendly and fruitful gathering.
Students, women, members of minority groups, as well as disabled persons are
encouraged to participate.
A number of grants for travel and accommodation for participants from Bosnia,
the Balkans and South Eastern Europe, are available owing to the support already
provided by the University of Bergen. Organizers hope to ensure additional
grants for participants from Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa, and are
undertaking necessary moves to provide it timely. This can also be considered as
an invitation to foundations which were reluctant so far, to shore our endeavor
up. I myself am sure that the Andrew`s Participant for Participant Fund will go
on to function this time as well.
Sincerely,
Dzemal Sokolovic,
Director of the Institute for Strengthening Democracy in Bosnia
The International Student Conference Against
Landmines
October 27-31, 2002, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Application Deadline: August 10, 2002
The Conference is designed and open for students interested in
landmines issue. Students from all over the world are free to
apply. Registration fee costs 210 (to be paid in Euros upon
arrival) and is fully inclusive - includes airport-hotel-airport
transport, academic and social program, conference materials,
hotel accomodation and board (4 nights with 3 meals a day). The
Organizers will try to fundraise some limited funds which would
enable participants from low-income countries* to attend the
Conference.These funds would be used both for free registration
fee and for travel funds (TAF). Participants from these countries
may apply for any of them (or both) but will be informed about
status of their application whenever there are news on this
issue.Lectures will be held by experts from National and
International Organizations on topics such as International
Humanitarian Law, Landmines silent killers as well as Techniques
and principles of demining. More information:
