Public administration assistance to the Federation of Bosnia - Herzegovina, City of Sarajevo and Central Bosnia - Herzegovina -- final report

The team visited the cities of Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar, Zenica, Gornyi Vakuf, and Novi Travnik. At the federation level, the team found that, aside from the existence of a constitution that does lay a foundation for a coherent federal system, the government has minimal organizational structure, administrative processes, and operational systems, including inter-governmental (federal-local) systems. Accordingly, public administration is needed in virtually every aspect of the institutional, policy, and administrative arenas. At the local level, the team found that municipalities require assistance primarily in mediation and conflict resolution, and secondarily in technical areas, given that administrative structures do exist, but largely in the form of dual governments. Advisory assistance would thus be most beneficial if linked to the USAID Municipal Rehabilitation Fund grant monies that are to be distributed by U.S. non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to local governments on the condition that they achieve multi-ethnic collaboration on areas of common purpose and establish systems or processes for interchange with the Federation. Delaying the provision of TA, in view of the fragile peacekeeping situation, could mean a lost opportunity to support ethnic reconciliation, reconstruction, and transition to a market economy at the grassroots level. Moreover, such support, if provided, could itself contribute to the peacekeeping process and prepare the Federation and its cantonal and municipal governments to assume their political and administrative responsibilities in the event that peace is achieved. For these reasons, the team believes that USAID assistance could be beneficial at this time and recommends that it commence as soon as politically and technically feasible. (Author abstract)