FIPA Activities

Meeting with a representative of the company General Trading Concept Ltd Sarajevo

3/9/2015

Representatives of the FIPA Agency visited on 3 March 2015 the company General Trading Concept Ltd Sarajevo representing an investment from the United Arab Emirates.

During the meeting they discussed the achievements of their production offices in Konjic and in Kiseljak, as well as all difficulties they have encountered so far.

An important progress that BiH has made for such investors is the introduction of the visa-free regime for the UAE citizens to ninety days per year, but procedures have not yet been simplified as in neighbouring countries. Also, the company is faced with a lack of raw materials for functioning, and they are looking for support to this issue from the FIPA Agency.

The plans of the company management are related to further expansion and the arrival of other investors from rich countries of the Asian continent. However, what it must be further improved in BiH is the legal framework through the definition more precise of the criteria for all areas, and welcome to investors, in neighbouring countries.

Testimonials & Success Stories
 

Global Investment Promotion Best Practices 2012 of the World Bank has cited one example of support that FIPA provides to foreign investors who are running business in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to contribute to increase the flow of foreign capital in the country.

The article said:  

„The Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) of Bosnia and Herzegovina was an early convert to the idea of providing facilitation services to agribusiness investors as a way to maximize the positive impact of agriculture on the economy.

In 2007, for example, FIPA assisted a Dutch food processing company establish a US$1.6 million production facility to process unused milk ingredients into value-added products in Sarajevo to sell to markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

As part of its aftercare program, FIPA assisted the company with its expansion plans. Among other things, the agency helped facilitate veterinary permissions, navigate various bureaucratic hurdles and played an important role in securing funding for the company’s expansion. It also helped develop a network of local suppliers and customers. As a result of these efforts, the Dutch investor developed stronger links with the Bosnian economy, thus increasing the positive spillover effects on the local economy.

Currently a new investment to establish a drying facility for milk powder is under way. This will further expand the processing facilities of unused milk ingredients. This additional planned investment is worth approximately US$2.8 million, thus nearly trebling the company’s original investment in the country“.

 

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