Building on a Strong Partnership: Minister Hrnjić and Xiaoqing Yu on Future Cooperation for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Federation of BiH

Minister Kemal Hrnjić with his team met today with Xiaoqing Yu, World Bank Regional Director for the Western Balkans, at the Ministry’s headquarters.

The delegation included Steffi Stallmeister, Regional Operations Manager for the Western Balkans; Samra Bajramović, Operations Officer; and Armin Ridžalović, who is currently serving as Acting Head of the World Bank Group Office for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.

The meeting reviewed progress on existing projects and explored opportunities for deepening cooperation in agriculture and rural development across the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Particular attention was given to activities under the ARCP project – the Agriculture Resilience and Competitiveness Project – implemented across the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with financial support from the World Bank. The project aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, boost producer resilience, and create more favourable conditions for agricultural development. In addition, discussions also covered project activities carried out under the Sava and Drina River Corridors Integrated Development Program.

There was a shared commitment to press ahead with the successful partnership, with both sides pledging to collaborate on a range of projects—from those already underway to those still in the pipeline—all aimed at advancing agriculture and rural development across the Federation of BiH.

In his closing remarks, Minister Kemal Hrnjić thanked international partners for their steadfast and valuable support to development initiatives across the Federation of BiH. He emphasized that preserving and deepening these partnerships is vital if we are to continue making progress in agriculture and improving the lives of people in rural areas.