Minister Hrnjić meets with SWG Secretary General Boban Ilić

The Federal Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Kemal Hrnjić met today in Sarajevo with the Secretary General of the Standing Working Group for Rural Development of Southeastern Europe Boban Ilić.

They discussed the activities the SWG carries out through the regional cooperation of neighboring countries, and Minister Hrnjić stressed the need for more active involvement of this Ministry in the work of the SWG.

The SWG Secretary General Boban Ilić congratulated Minister Hrnjić on his appointment as Federal Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, hoping to improve cooperation in the coming period.

Minister Hrnjić stressed that the Ministry will continue participating in the SWG to ensure quality transfer of knowledge and information and endorse projects of interest in the field of rural development in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, acknowledging its role in the exchange of information on rural development issues, as well as activities on joint planning of cross-border projects and the provision of support in this area in Southeastern Europe.

The SWG as the networking and regional cooperation platform was established during the Agricultural Policy Forum in 2005, which was held in Macedonia and Serbia in June 2005, and later confirmed by the Declaration of the Ministers of Agriculture of Southeast European countries in Dresden in 2007.

SWG aims to improve regional cooperation between the ministries of agriculture in Southeast Europe and foster links with various international organizations, exchanging perspectives on rural issues and supporting member institutions in identifying common needs and interests in the EU accession process.