Ethno-territorial disagreements hurting MDG progress: BiH

Haris Silajdzic, chairman of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), said here on Wednesday that ethnic and territorial disagreements in his country have made it more difficult to succeed economically and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He made the statement at a high-level plenary session of the international deliberative body on the MDGs, which are a set of eight development goals that world leaders have pledged to meet by 2015.

Silajdzic said that the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina is "fully committed" to tackling the MDGs domestically and has integrated them into the national development program.

"As a country that recently suffered major war devastation, and thereafter received significant international support for reconstruction, Bosnia and Herzegovina now invests significant efforts in order to achieve sustainability and its own responsibility," he said.

Silajdzic told the assembly that territorial disputes have made it more difficult for his country to reach the MDGs. Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently engaged in disputes with Croatia and Serbia over various territories.

"We have not yet been able to fully realize our country's potential because our dysfunctional ethno-territorial agreements hinder our efforts and prevent us from progressing at the desirable pace," he said.

Silajdzic added that the support of the international community will remain important as Bosnia and Herzegovina works to preserve its government and economy.

"In order to be able to fully utilize our potential, Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to carry out constitutional reforms that will create a single economic space and make our government functional and rational, so that it can meet the needs of our citizens," he said.

Source: Xinhua