The OIC Assistance Mobilization Group for Bosnia and Herzegovina held its Ninth Meeting at Sarajevo on 27-28 April 2001. (Agenda Annexed)
The representatives of Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, OIC General Secretariat, Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ISESCO attended the Meeting (list of participants annexed). The Meeting was chaired by Mr. Riaz Muhammad Khan, Additional Foreign Secretary, Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Bozidar Matic, the Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Zlatko Lagumdzija and the Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Ms. Azra Hadziahmetovic, addressed the Meeting. The three statements clearly identified the priorities of the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the context of economic reconstruction and revival of the country and their expectations from the OIC, in particular, its Assistance Mobilization Group for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The salient points of the three statements were as follows:
Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Bozidar Matic
The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina had agreed with the international community on the priorities for making the state functional and efficient, the restructuring of the economy and in speeding up the sustainable return of refugees and displaced persons.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was grateful to the Government and peoples of OIC Member Stats for their understanding and support to accept B^H as a partner and to help it within your capabilities to remove the consequences of the conflict and to regain stability.
Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Zlatko Lagumdzija
we highly appreciate the interest and concern of the OIC Member states for B&H, your readiness to work on improving friendly relations, to upgrade economic relations and cultural cooperation,
we are grateful for OIC Member States continued assistance to our people, the most vulnerable categories- those expelled from their homes and the displaced persons,
we will continue improving the climate for mutually advantageous cooperation and will be grateful for a constructive cooperation, insisting on the necessary improvements in all areas of cooperation.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Ms. Azra Hadziahmetovic
We would like to emphasize the following possible fields:
Investment projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in OIC Countries,
Investment in current companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the process of privatization,
Investment in new companies in B&H we would especially like to emphasize the development of Free Trade Zones,
Joint ventures in third markets,
opening banks from OIC Member States in B&H,
Participation of OIC Companies in Tourism development in B&H,
Trade exchanges.

The Meeting decided that in view of the importance of the statements and their relevance to the work of the AMG, the three statements should be annexed to the report of the Ninth Meeting of the AMG. .

A message from the Secretary General of the OIC, H.E. Mr. Abdelouahad Belkeziz, was read by H.E. Ambassador Al-Mannan Bakhit, Director of the Political Department, General Secretariat of the OIC. In his message, the Secretary General said that the major challenges facing Bosnia and Herzegovina at the present time were rehabilitation, development, return of refugees and displaced to their homes. He reiterated the clear stand of OIC countries and their commitment to support Bosnia and Herzegovina. He added that the political and economic developments, following the signing of the Dayton Accord, made it imperative that there should be a review of the of the AMG. This was needed to enable this Group to go beyond lending urgent humanitarian assistance to consolidating cooperation and trade exchanges between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the OIC Member States. The meeting was informed that the General Secretariat of the OIC would submit the draft Statute for the Trust Fund for the Urgent Return of Refugees and displaced Persons as well as the working paper on the future terms of reference of the AMG for discussion and appropriate decisions by the Ninth Session of the AMG.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, and General Coordinator of the Organizing Committee of the 9th Islamic Summit Conference, head of the Delegation, H.E. Mr. Abdurahman bin Hamed Al-Atiyya, addressed the Meeting. He said that the OIC had a huge task to undertake towards the Bosnian people. It was incumbent on us to come out with a practicable developmental strategy which helped in the mobilization of economic assistance and the establishment of a Trust Fund for the Urgent return of Refugees and displaced Persons. It was the conviction of the State of Qatar that the effects of the political support of the OIC member states to the territorial integrity and independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina would positively reflect on achieving stability in the country, in particular and the Balkan region in general. In this context, came the gracious initiative of His Highness Shiekh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, to continue to provide support to the government and people of Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with the resolutions of the Ninth Islamic Summit convened in Doha on 12 to 14 November 2000. The State of Qatar would host the First Donor Conference for Bosnia and Herzegovina in Doha on 15 May 2001. He extended a warm invitation to OIC Member States to actively participate and contribute to the First Donor Conference for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Following the opening ceremony, the plenary session started with a statement by the Chairman of the AMG, H.E. Mr. Riaz Muhammad Khan, Additional Foreign Secretary, Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In his statement, the Chairman paid tributes to the leadership of Bosnia and Herzegovina whose vision continued to guide the Bosnian people in their efforts for preserving their independence and sovereignty and the economic revival and reconstruction of the war-ravaged country. He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina was in need of generous financial and development assistance to sustain efforts towards re-building the country's economy, shattered infrastructure and society. The Ninth Islamic Summit in Doha, Qatar, in November 2000, adopted a Special Declaration which redefined the priorities of the AMG and established the Trust Fund for the Urgent Return of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Ninth AMG Meeting was expected to endorse the Terms of Reference and the Statute and operational procedures of the Trust Fund. The AMG needed to finalize the Draft Statue and the operational procedures in time for the 15 May 2001 donors meeting for the Trust Fund that the Government of Qatar had graciously accepted to host. He urged the member states of the OIC to contribute generously to the Trust Fund.
The Meeting adopted the draft Report of the Chairman for the Eighth Meeting of the AMG held in Qatar on 10 November 2000 which agreed to redefine the priorities of the AMG and establish the Trust Fund.

As Chairman of the ICFM and in pursuance of the request in the Special Declaration adopted by the Doha Islamic Summit that Malaysia coordinate activities regarding the development of the new terms of reference of the AMG and the Statutes of the Trust Fund, a statement was made by the Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of Malaysia, H.E. Mr. Zakaria Sulong. He stated that the OIC Member States should lend their support to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in achieving economic stabilization, reform and creating vibrant market economies based on sound macro policies, expanding foreign trade and private sector investment. It would be wise for the OIC member states to complement the efforts of the western countries by also continuing to play a significant role and make their presence felt in the region especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The role of the OIC becomes more important in encouraging a positive change in the political landscape of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Ninth AMG meeting should serve as an avenue for the OIC Member States to pull the resources and experience in a more co-ordinated approach to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina towards becoming a united and prosperous country in the Balkan region.

Presentations were made by the delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on:

• Item 11.1Priorities of B&H in the cooperation with the OIC member countries in the areas of trade and investment activities
  
• Item 11.2 Cooperation between companies from B&H and companies from the OIC member countries
  
• Item 11.3Scientific, technological and cultural cooperation
  
• Item 11.4Sustainable return of refugees and displaced persons in B&H - assistance and cooperation
  
• Item 11.5 The OIC member countries and institutions in B&H (bilateral assistance, B&H TF, contribution of the OIC member countries to the International Reconstruction Programme in B&H)
  
• Item 11.6 Missing Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina11.1. The Director of the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency stated that the new B&H policy emphasizes on Foreign Direct Investments in effort to change from aid recipient to business partner. Foreign Investment Promotion Agency is founded with task to boost prospective and service current FDI in B&H. The OIC member states are invited to take more active role in ongoing privatization and new investments. FIPA will provide all necessary support and assistance free of charge.
  
• 11.2The President of the Chamber of Commerce of Bosnia and Herzegovina gave an overview of cooperation between OIC Countries and Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1991. He mentioned some of projects realized by big B&H companies. He invited OIC countries, businessmen and banks to engage in:
  investment projects connected with the privatization process of B&H companies,
  joint investments in new projects in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism
  direct cooperation between business partners
  opening of credit-lines of Islamic Bank for export – oriented companies and for housing projects greater cooperation between chambers of commerce, and promotion of potentials
  organizing Business Forums in September or October of 2001 in B&H, and in 2002 Business Forums in regions of OIC countries
  

The Representative of the Administration for Scientific, Technical, Technological and Cultural Cooperation said that there was a need to familiarize OIC member countries about the possibilities of scientific, cultural, technical, and educational co-operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The framework of cooperation with educational, cultural, and scientific institutions of B&H for developing science was technology was available in existing OIC resolutions. There was need for financial and other support by the OIC member countries, through inter alia, using local staff in these areas. The importance of bilateral agreements, contracts, and programs in the field of scientific, technological, cultural, and educational, co-operation was stressed.

The Deputy Minister for Human Rights and Refugees pointed out that over 1.1 million persons were displaced since the war. About 16,000 units in Bosnia and Herzegovina had been identified for reconstruction in order to meet the needs of those who had returned or were returning. Resources, however, were not available. The Government sought the support of the Islamic Countries Donor Conference for the urgent construction of a large number of housing units. The Ministries of B^H and the Entities jointly prepared a Project for Priority Return that included 4,300 housing units. These along others ensured would guarantee a minimum needed for reconstruction for the return that had already started. This would help create conditions fort sustainable return.

A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented a paper outlining the details of participation of Islamic Countries and Organizations in the reconstruction of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He pointed out that the paper was not comprehensive and solicited information from member states about details of cooperation or assistance provided. The information would be required for the preparations for the Doha Donor Conference for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs read out a statement on behalf of the International Commission on Missing Persons. The statement pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina needed international assistance to resolve the problem of tens of thousands of missing persons, particularly from Srebrenica. The International Commission on Missing Persons had been working in Bosnia since 1996 to assist and fund the exhumation and identification process.

Following the presentations by the representatives of the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, interventions were made by the delegations of Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Pakistan, the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ISESCO. In their inventions these delegations referred to assistance provided by their Governments to Bosnia and Herzegovina and cooperation and activities being undertaken by their private sector companies.
Statements were made by the representatives of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ISESCO. The Meeting appreciated the efforts being made by both organizations in developing cooperation in the trade, educational and economies sectors between the OIC Member States and B&H.
The Meeting was briefed by the Head of Delegation of Turkey, in its capacity as the representative of OIC Member States to the Peace Implementation Council, on the progress of work in the Steering Board of the Council. Similar briefing statements were made by the representatives of the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UN and the UNHCR.
The Meeting adopted the Draft Statute of the Trust Fund for the Urgent Return of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Annex II) and the Terms of Reference of the AMG (Annex III) following the inclusion of specific drafting amendments made by a drafting committee set up for this purpose. The Drafting Committee was chaired by Mr. Shame Nasser, Minister Plenipotentiary and Charge d' Affairs a.i. of the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Head of Delegation.
The AMG-Bosnia and Herzegovina decided to recommend to the 28th ICFM to be held in Bamako, Mali in June 2001, the final adoption of the Terms of Reference of the AMG and Statues of the Trust Fund for the Urgent Return of Refugees and Displaced Persons to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The AMG also agreed that pending the formal endorsement of the Statutes of the Trust Fund by the ICFM in Bamako, Mali, in June 2001, these Statutes would be operational on an ad referendum basis to facilitate follow up of the Donor’s Meeting to be held on 15 May 2001 in Doha, Qatar.
It was decided that, subject to final approval by the ICFM, the AMG would meet for its Tenth Session in Sarajevo in the spring of 2002.
The participants of the Ninth AMG meeting expressed thanks and appreciation to the Government and People of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the warm and cordial hospitality and the excellent arrangements for the meeting. The Meeting also appreciated the contribution made by the OIC General Secretariat.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
April 28, 2001

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