Mjesne Zajednice Phase Two Project: Improving the quality of life of BiH citizens by strengthening local communities

May 18, 2020

Phase Two: Improving the quality of life of BiH citizens by strengthening local communities (MZ)

Launch of Phase Two of the Joint Project of Governments of Sweden and Switzerland, implemented by UNDP in BiH

Phase Two of the project Strengthening the Role of Local Communities/Mjesne Zajednice (MZs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been launched officially with a sign-off on co-financing agreement by representatives of the Swiss and Swedish Governments.

Strengthening the Role of Local Communities/Mjesne Zajednice (MZs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues its activities in Phase Two valued at some 18 million BAM, to include 200 MZs and 40 local governments country-wide, benefitting the quality of lives of 400,000 people. The MZ Project is a joint project of the Governments of Switzerland and Sweden, and is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in BiH.

MZs are the smallest administrative unit for direct engagement of the government with citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The MZ Project facilitates active involvement of citizens in BiH by increasing their democratic participation and accountability in local communities. At the same time, the Project supports strengthening of people-centred and gender-responsive community governance, fosters community-led local development, and catalyse democratic transformation at the local level.

Switzerland has been cooperating with municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina for many years, but the Strengthening MZs Project goes a one step further. It has real impacts on everyday lives of people at the neighbourhood level. Thanks to the MZ Project, local communities have become a place where citizens can voice their concerns, engage in dialogue and participate in local development. As a Swiss citizen, who stands for direct democracy, I am happy to see that nowadays BiH citizens are speaking out. They are engaging with municipalities and have an influence on where the money goes. They have a say on whether money is spent on better street lighting, reconstruction of schools, access to quality water or improvements that are made to bus stops. All this will continue with 200 additional MZs participating in Phase Two of the Project, starting today,” said Barbara Dätwyler Scheuer, Cooperation Director with the Swiss Embassy in BiH.

We are really happy to be contributing to the new phase of the Project Strengthening of MZs. Sweden is providing additional support close to 3 million Euros. Why do we do this? That is because we think that MZs are a very unique mechanism for citizens’ participation. They are active all over the country and help people voice their concerns and channel their needs to decision-makers at the local level. It is also completely in line with Sweden’s development cooperation priorities for Bosnia and Herzegovina towards its accession to EU membership. It will also be a very good tool at these times of COVID to channel people’s needs and help those in need,” stressed Torgny Svenungsson, Director of Development Cooperation, Swedish Embassy to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Steliana Nedera, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in BiH, highlighted “We are very happy to start the second phase of the project, together with Sweden and Switzerland. In this phase, we are going to work with a bigger number of local communities MZs across Bosnia and Herzegovina. What we expect as the main results in this phase is better community services, reach out to the socially disadvantaged groups, better community infrastructure and, overall, stronger community ties.”

Phase Two of the project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in BiH, in partnership with the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, the BiH Ministry of Justice, the Republika Srpska Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government, the Brčko District Government, entity Associations of Municipalities and Cities, local governments, local communities (MZs) and civil society organisations.