The United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is the main interagency mechanism for inter-agency coordination and decision-making. It is led by the UN Resident Coordinator and composed of the representatives of the UN entities carrying out operational activities for development in BiH. The UNCT in BiH comprises thirteen resident UN entities (FAO, ILO, IOM, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UNV, UN Women, WHO), and three non-resident entities (UNIDO, IFAD, and IAEA).  

All the UNSDG members operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, except UNHCR and UNODC, are located in the UN House inaugurated in July 2013 by the UNSDG Chair and UNDP Administrator, at the time, and the BiH presidency.

Inauguration of Mostar's Old Bridge
Inauguration of the Old Bridge ('Stari Most') in Mostar, southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, with UNESCO support
Photo | UNESCO BiH

Milestones

  1. The work of the UNCT in BiH is guided through the 2015-2020 UNDAF endorsed by the BiH Council of Ministers on 14 May 2015. Thirteen outcomes have been agreed within the 2015-2020 UNDAF, in four strategic focus areas that respond to country needs and make use of the UN’s comparative advantages.
  2. The four strategic focus areas are: Rule of Law and Human Security; Sustainable and Equitable Development and Employment; Social Inclusion (education, social protection, child protection and health); and Empowerment of Women.  
  3. Full implementation of the UNDAF will require an estimated total of USD 264,592,034. As of the end of 2018, USD 250 Mil. was already delivered through the UNDAF implementation in BiH or 94% of the estimated total.  
  4. BiH is an official Delivering as One (DaO) country.  In line with the DaO status, the 2015-2020 UNDAF is operationalized through four biennial Joint UN Work Plans and implemented and monitored through the work of four Results Groups corresponding to four UNDAF Focus Areas. 
  5. In 2019, the UNCT BiH has initiated the preparation process for the next 5-years programme document for BiH: the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (Cooperation Framework), 2021-2025. Roadmap of the process has been prepared and formally submitted to the BiH authorities in February 2019. 
  6. The Final Evaluation of the current UNDAF was finalized in the first half of 2019, followed by the development of the 2019 Common Country Assessment (CCA) in October 2019 as the analytical baseline for discussion and preparation of the Cooperation Framework to be completed by March 2020.

The Sustainable Development Goals in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Bosnia and Herzegovina: