SARAJEVO, MAY 15 (ONASA) – Everything is ready for the Sarajevo Business Forum, the twelfth meeting of investors and businessmen, numerous representatives of countries and governments of the region and the world, where all participants will have the opportunity to learn about investment opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also the countries of the region: Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania.
On Wednesday and Thursday, May 17 and 18, Sarajevo will be the economic center of the region, but it will also be closely watched in the United Arab Emirates, Great Britain, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Germany and others. the countries from which this year’s speakers and panelists come.
Sarajevo Business Forum, an investment-business conference, offers all visitors the opportunity to network and invest, and which is organized under the auspices of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Bosna Bank International in cooperation with its strategic partner – the Ministry of Economy of the Canton of Sarajevo, and the shareholders of BBI Bank – the Islamic Development Bank ( IsDB), Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) as well as numerous other domestic and foreign partners.
This year’s Forum will reveal a series of projects from energy, finance, infrastructure, construction, services, tourism and other development sectors, with the participation of a large number of distinguished investors and dignitaries.
On the first day, at the opening of the Forum, the member of the Presidency of BiH Denis Bećirević, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH Elmedin Konaković, the European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement from the European Community Olivér Várhelyi and the Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH Nermin Nikšić will speak with the participation and address of the business delegation from the United Arab Emirates , led by Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.
Alek Bakalović, President of the Management Board of Bosna Bank International (BBI), will deliver the opening address on behalf of the organizers of the Sarajevo Business Forum, while Zlatko Mijatović, Minister of Economy of the Sarajevo Canton, will deliver the opening speech on behalf of the Strategic Partner of the Forum.
This year too, the traditional “Sarajevo Business Bridge Awards” will be awarded to companies and individuals who, with their business, innovative ideas and employment of young people, have contributed to the significant development of entrepreneurship, sustainable development and the investment climate in the region.
The panel “Regional business cooperation – the key to prosperity and economic progress” will bring together distinguished speakers, including the former presidents of Slovenia and Croatia Borut Pahor and Stjepan Mesić, the Minister of Transport and Communications of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edin Forto, the former chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Zlatko Lagumdžija .
Panelists will explore the potential benefits of closer cooperation between countries in the region, including increased trade and investment, improved infrastructure and a more favorable business environment.
The speakers will try to answer what role infrastructure development and improved connectivity can play in improving regional business cooperation and how countries in the region can work together to develop and upgrade key infrastructure.
The topic of this panel will be the opportunities and challenges faced by companies in the Western Balkans and how regional business cooperation can help solve these challenges.
On the first day of the Forum, the panel “Solid foundations for sustainable development” will be held, moderated by Manuela Naessl, head of the Office for Bosnia and Herzegovina of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, during which the importance of inclusion in European standards of sustainable development and production reduction will be discussed greenhouse gases.
The aim of this panel is to explore the concept of sustainable development and its practical implications for companies and communities in the Western Balkans region.
The panel will focus on sustainable infrastructure that creates opportunities for improved access to energy, water, communications and digital services, while minimizing negative impacts on people and the planet.
Participants will discuss how public and private sector actors can collaborate in developing and financing sustainable infrastructure projects that benefit communities, support economic growth and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The speakers on this panel are: Elmedin Voloder, director of PE Autocesta FBiH, Sedin Kahriman, general manager of BH Telecom, Alan Bajić, general manager of Sarajevo International Airport, Ahmet Albayrak, deputy director of Kuveyt Turk Participation Bank, and Biljana Braithwaite, general manager and founding partner in Sustineri Partners for the Western Balkans.
On the second day of the Forum, in cooperation with USAID’s Sustainable Tourism Development Project in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Tourism), a special panel will be held that will be dedicated exclusively to the tourism industry.
Panelists – eight top experts from the United Arab Emirates, Great Britain, France and the United States of America will share their experiences on how to increase local capacities, improve quality, increase interest in the tourism sector, develop tourism offers and improve tourism marketing promotion.
How to build stronger trade and investment links between the United Kingdom and the Western Balkans will be addressed in the opening address for the fourth panel by Martin Vickers, the British Prime Minister’s envoy for the Western Balkans.
As part of the Fourth Panel – “Successful investment stories of the region”, which will be moderated by Mrs. Nina Pobrić from the Agency for the Promotion and Attraction of Foreign Investments (FIPA), successful business in BiH will be presented by, among others, Paul Cronin, director of the company “Eastern Mining” from Vareš, Branimir Muidža, general manager of Tvornica cementa Kakanj and general manager of the Heidelberg Materials group in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, and president of the Council of Foreign Investors. Anastasios Spanidis from Greece and Mattias Sjoborg, general manager of Plena Group, as well as Maria Hristova, general manager of “Sofia Investment agency” from Bulgaria, will present positive business experiences of regional companies.
What is the future of the financial industry and how to create value in the digital age will be the topic of the final panel of the SBF, which will be moderated by Lorena Škuflić, a professor from the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb.
Regional experiences on this topic will be presented by Eldar Dudo, Director of UNIQA Insurance, the third largest group of companies within UNIQA International, which consists of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bulgaria.
Azra Hadžiomeragić, member of the Management Board of BBI Bank, Neslihan Neciboğlu, General Manager of “Neova Participation” insurance from Turkey, as well as Mr. Amir Softić, President of the Management Board of Sparkasse Bank BiH, will present their rich experiences in finance on the panel.
The twelfth Sarajevo Business Forum, a prestigious and recognizable platform for business networking and research into investment and business opportunities in Southeast European countries, will offer all participants two days of cross-border experience of interesting panels, discussions and business networking.
With the presence of more than 1,000 local, regional and global representatives of governments, ministries, investors and representatives of business communities from around 40 countries around the world, presentations of investment projects and business opportunities, more than 400 G2G/G2B organizations are expected at the 12th SBF /B2B meetings attended by more than 200 media representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the countries of the region and the world.
All information and agenda are available at: www.sarajevobusinessforum.com.