Infrastructure sector
The
Infrastructure sector is made up of four sub-sectors, namely: Transport and
Storage, Communication, Energy Supply and Generation, and Water Supply and
Sanitation. Donors contributed € 239
million to this sector in 2007. Of this amount, € 217 million was in the
form of loans, while € 22 million was in the form of grants.
Infrastructure sector loan vs. grant split in 2007
Donor composition in the Infrastructure sector in 2007
Loan allocations in the Transport and Storage sub-sector in 2007
Grant allocations in the Transport and Storage sub-sector in 2007
Loan allocations in the Water Supply and Sanitation sub-sector in 2007
Grant allocations in the Water Supply and Sanitation sub-sector in 2007
Loan allocations in the Energy Generation and Supply sub-sector in 2007
Grant allocations in the Energy Generation and Supply sub-sector in 2007
Donor
Activities in 2007
The
donors in the Infrastructure sector in 2007 were Canada/CIDA, Germany/KfW,
Japan/JICA, the Netherlands,
Norway,
Spain/AECID, Switzerland/SECO, USA/USAID, EBRD, the EC, EIB, UNDP, and the
World Bank.
Sector
Strategies
Although
a state-level Transport sub-sector
strategy was developed through a coordinated effort between the BiH Ministry of
Transport and Communication, France,
EBRD, and the World Bank, it has not yet been approved. An Air Traffic
Management Strategy has also been created. Other guiding documents include the
BiH Railways Law (passed in 2004 but not yet implemented), the Study on the BiH
Transport Master Plan, and some EC regional studies such as the Transport
Infrastructure Regional Study (TIRS) and the Regional Balkans Infrastructure
Study (REBIS). The World Bank is expected to make a significant contribution to
the strategic guidance of the sub-sector when it completes a Country Assessment
Study focusing on the Transport sub-sector for the period 2008–2012.
The
Ministry of Transportation and Communication has established a Working Group to
begin the Communication sub-sector strategy
development process. A Strategy for Information Society and its Action Plan
have also been developed.
While
there is no state-level strategy, the EC is supporting MoFTER’s Energy Department in their development
of a countrywide energy plan. The targeted completion date for this very
sensitive document is October 2008. In the absence of such a strategy, guidance
comes from the Athens Energy Community of SEE treaty and the Kyoto Protocol.
There
is no specific state-level strategy defining or prioritizing infrastructural
activities in the Water Supply and
Sanitation sub-sector. The National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP)
provides a basic framework for environmental protection and has been adopted
along with a number of important environmental laws (including legislature on
air and water protection and waste management).
Donor
Coordination
The
practice of informal coordination in the Transport
sub-sector is generally considered to be operating at an acceptable level.
Coordination of international agencies at the regional level was noted as being
rather effective. One challenge to synchronizing donors’ activities is the
complex organization of the sub-sector.
Cooperation
between the few donors in the Communication
sub-sector is solid, albeit informal.
Bi-annual
meetings have been successful in facilitating donor coordination in the Energy Generation and Supply sub-sector,
and the new Energy Department within MoFTER is now chairing these gatherings.
Donors generally agree that their activities do not overlap. However, there was
a concern expressed that donor initiatives do not effectively incorporate the
views of local authorities when outlining project priorities.
For
the time being there appears to be no regular coordination between the
international agencies working in the Water
Supply and Sanitation sub-sector. This can be explained by the fact that
most donor projects focus on particular municipalities or water basins.
For
a complete overview of donor support to the Infrastructure sector, click here.
