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Viewing cable 09SARAJEVO1108, BOSNIA: DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09SARAJEVO1108 2009-09-18 10:12 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Sarajevo
VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVJ #1108/01 2611012
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181012Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0782
UNCLAS SARAJEVO 001108 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
S/GPI FOR MKWALKER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP BTIO EAID OEXC OIIP PGOV PHUM PREL BA
SUBJECT: BOSNIA: DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT 
 
REF: STATE 86401 
 
ΒΆ1. (SBU) Post offers the following answers to questions from 
para 15 of reftel.  The Post point of contact on diaspora 
issues will be Patrick Hanish. 
 
A) To what extent are diasporans from your host country an 
identifiable community?  Are there existing diaspora 
networks, organizations or online communities available as 
platforms for outreach? 
 
Many citizens of BiH were employed in Europe as "foreign 
workers" prior to the collapse of Yugoslavia, and more than 
one million citizens left the country during the 1992-1995 
war.  However, citizens of Bosnia living abroad are most 
likely to identify with the ethnic group (Bosniak, Croat or 
Serb) from which they originate, as opposed to identifying 
themselves as current or former citizens of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina (BiH). 
 
The diaspora may be further divided analytically between 
those who left Bosnia for a neighboring country where they 
have dual citizenship or family ties (Croatia, Serbia, and 
Montenegro), and those who travelled further afield as 
refugees (to the U.S., Europe, or Australia, for example). 
Those who reside in neighboring countries may have largely 
assimilated, and see their birth in Bosnia only as biographic 
fact, not a part of personal identity. 
 
Existing diaspora networks are largely keyed to ethnic 
identity.  For example, Bosnian diaspora groups in the 
United States reach out to Croat, Serb, and Bosniak caucuses 
within the U.S. Congress based on ethnic lines. 
Community centers, churches and mosques, and web sites of the 
diaspora community largely mirror this ethnic division. 
 
B) What is the nature of the connection of the diaspora 
community to the host country? Examples include kinship 
networks; educational or other institutional ties; financial 
support as from remittances; and direct 
participation in community or country affairs and civil 
society. 
 
The BiH diaspora community, having departed Bosnia in many 
cases within the last 15-17 years, continues to maintain 
strong familial and community ties.  Diaspora Bosnians 
frequently travel back to Bosnia on holidays, in particular 
visiting family and friends in their communities of origin. 
Most cities throughout the country report a 
diaspora influx during the summer months. 
 
BiH's central bank estimated remittances in 2008 at 1.88 
billion USD (2.5 billion KM) or ten percent of GDP.  In the 
first quarter of 2009, they estimated remittances totaled 388 
million USD (517 million KM).  The central bank forecasts a 
ten percent drop in remittances in 2009 as a result of the 
global economic crisis. 
 
An organization of the diaspora community, the World Diaspora 
Congress, has held some meetings in BiH to discuss such 
issues as dual citizenship and the Bosnian election law, but 
it is not clear how active or significant this group will be. 
 Some universities have developed educational ties between 
Bosnia and the diaspora community.  For example, the 
University of Sarajevo has a partnership funded by USAID with 
the University of Delaware's College of Business and 
Economics.  The schools reached out to diaspora student 
councils as part of their recruitment plan.  The American 
University in BiH, affiliated with SUNY/Canton, is also 
seeking to create successful cooperation with the diaspora 
community. 
 
While civil society in BiH is generally weak, citizens of 
Bosnia are able to vote if they register with the entral 
Election Commission as residents of Bosni, and may vote at 
consular offices overseas.  Reistration, however, has been 
problematic, as thelaw is largely designed for Bosnians 
temporarily overseas, not those permanently resident 
abroad.  Voting has significantly dropped off over the years. 
 In early post-war elections, some 700,000 people 
voted overseas.  In the most recent elections, only 20,000 
overseas citizens voted. 
 
C) To what extent has your host country or government 
activated its diaspora communities for humanitarian 
relief?  How would you characterize the level of response? If 
outreach is relatively recent, do you foresee 
opportunities to maintain diaspora community involvement in 
country over the long term? 
 
The vast bulk of the Bosnian diaspora community left as a 
result of humanitarian crises during the 1992-1995 war. 
Since that time, the government has worked with USAID and 
international organizations on reconstruction projects that 
encouraged refugees and internally displaced persons to 
return to their place of origin.   In recent years USAID has 
ceased to be involved in these activities which have been 
largely taken over by such organizations as UNHCR and OSCE. 
These efforts involved reaching out for contributions from 
the diaspora community, and the level of contributions was 
significant.  Religious leaders have told us they can rely to 
a degree on diaspora assistance for reconstruction, 
renovation, or ongoing operation of religious buildings, but 
such contributions are largely confined to provision of 
support for their specific communities of origin. 
 
D) To what extent is the diaspora community engaged in 
long-term investment in country, for example 
micro-enterprise development, job creation, entrepreneurship, 
and institutional capacity building? What is post's 
assessment of the future potential for long-term and 
sustained engagement of the diaspora community in such 
efforts? 
 
Members of the BiH diaspora are quite active in the 
commercial sphere, and this is one area where returnees can 
cross the ethnic divide.  Bosnians across ethnic lines -- 
Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Bosnian Croats, and Bosnian Serbs 
-- who fled during the war have returned as successful 
business leaders representing European and American companies 
and working in all areas of BiH irrespective of their 
ethnicity.  This experience directly contrasts with the 
situation of "local" Bosnians who often confront serious 
cultural and professional impediments when seeking employment 
outside of their traditional ethnic geographic areas (i.e. 
Bosniaks in the Republika Srpska or Serbs in the Federation). 
 Bosnian Croat returnees enjoy particular success with 
running small and medium-sized businesses and managing 
representational offices.  Although diaspora members are 
present in all economic spheres, they predominantly work in 
the IT, telecommunications and services sectors.  Several 
chiefs of party for USAID projects are Bosnians who worked 
and went to university in the U.S. 
 
We expect diaspora engagement to continue in the commercial 
sector in the long-term given the advantage which 
international businesses attribute to hiring international 
professionals with Balkan origins to manage representational 
offices here.  Investment has also been the subject of past 
diaspora gatherings such as the Fourth Congress of the BiH 
Diaspora World Confederation meeting in Sarajevo in 2008. 
 
A positive sign for Bosnia's future is the emergence of a new 
cadre of young, dynamic entrepreneurs who have overcome 
bureaucratic and other obstacles to build successful business 
ventures here.  In many cases, this new impetus originates 
from Bosnian returnees, who as students fled in the 1990s and 
are returning as business executives and professionals with 
valuable experience.  These young entrepreneurs and returnees 
share two common traits: optimism and an attitude that things 
can be accomplished here. 
 
E) To what extent is the diaspora community working toward 
scientific, engineering, medical and educational 
institution building? How might diasporans with backgrounds 
in these fields or otherwise affiliated with the Academy, 
or professional and technical societies, become engaged in 
science diplomacy programs? 
 
So far there has been little involvement of the diaspora 
community in scientific and educational institution building. 
 The war created a "brain drain" and resulted in many 
Bosnians obtaining scientific and academic positions abroad. 
Few from the diaspora are returning with their expertise, 
although, some new institutions, such as the American 
University in Bosnia is seeking to develop deeper relations 
with the diaspora. 
 
Unfortunately, post has little information regarding diaspora 
contributions in the medical field.  For the most part, 
medical professionals who have advanced medical degrees or 
were educated abroad have returned to BiH permanently and 
therefore are no longer considered part of the diaspora 
population.  Members of the diaspora often have vague 
second-hand anecdotes such as past donations of used medical 
equipment.  However, little additional information is known 
regarding the extent of diaspora involvement in these types 
of projects. 
 
F) To what extent is the diaspora community engaged in 
conflict resolution and peace building? Do you see future 
potential to translate diaspora community participation in 
these processes into other priorities governing the 
bilateral (and/or regional) relationship? 
 
The diaspora community is generally divided into groups that 
mirror the ethnic divisions in Bosnia, and their lobbying and 
other political efforts tend to reinforce divisions rather 
than promote reconciliation.  To the extent that diaspora 
organizations can be built on a basis that transcends ethnic 
divisions they might potentially play a constructive role. 
 
G) To what extent is the diaspora community engaged in 
meeting the health, education and welfare needs of 
indigenous peoples? 
 
Not applicable. 
 
H) To what extent is the diaspora community engaged in 
democracy promotion, electoral reform and civil society 
development? Are there key milestones in your host country or 
host government's development that would create 
opportunities for such engagement in the future? 
 
The diaspora community is largely split along ethnic lines, 
and diaspora groups tend to promote the interests of their 
ethnic counterparts in Bosnia rather than working on overall 
democracy promotion.  There are a small number of diaspora 
groups interested in overall democracy promotion.  Bosnia's 
Euro-Atlantic integration process, particularly its drive 
toward European Union membership, potentially offers an 
opportunity for diaspora communities to point 
out to fellow Bosnians of all ethnic groups the demonstrated 
benefits that come with making the hard choices necessary for 
forward progress on 
Euro-Atlantic integration. 
 
I) How would you characterize the level of concern and 
attention given to diaspora communities by your host 
government? If applicable, please describe the host 
government's organization and strategy dedicated to 
relationship-building with its diaspora communities. For 
example, host governments may have established promotion 
offices to encourage diasporans' return, bringing with them 
know-how and financial resources. 
 
Return of refugees within the Bosnian diaspora is a matter of 
great importance to political leaders throughout the country. 
 However, the desire to promote such return varies based 
often on the ethnicity of the politicians.  Ambassadorships, 
apportioned with an eye to ethnic balance, can have a 
significant impact on the direction and level of outreach 
from a given Bosnian embassy overseas.  Bosniak leaders, in 
particular, voice continual concern for the promotion and 
funding of returns. 
 
UNHCR continues to operate in Bosnia, and also promotes 
returns, including by pressing for full implementation of 
the portion of the Dayton Accords (Annex VII) which pertains. 
 A recent attempt to adopt a new Annex VII 
implementation strategy was killed by parliamentarians from 
Republika Srpska (RS). 
 
In August, the state-level Ministry for Human Rights and 
Refugees (MinHRR) signed an MoU with the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) to fund a 2-year, 
750,000-Euro study entitled "enhancing the developmental 
impact of diaspora contributions in Bosnia and Herzegovina." 
The goal of the project is to assist MinHRR in researching 
the level and nature of contributions, forming a task force 
related to diaspora issues, adoption of a state-level 
strategy on diaspora issues, and selection of specific 
intiatives to undertake to increase diaspora developmental 
impact. 
 
Bosnian Embassies maintain contacts with diaspora 
organizations.  However, the fact that diaspora groups are 
organized along ethnic lines with generally conflicting 
agendas limits the possibilities for engaging with them 
constructively in an overall Bosnian national strategy. 
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bosnian 
Government's stance is generally to keep in touch with these 
organizations but not to get directly involved in their 
activities. 
 
J) If post has undertaken programs to reach out proactively 
to diaspora community members, please share the 
circumstances that prompted the outreach effort, how outreach 
was conducted or programmed, personal impressions 
from the experience, and benefits from the outreach effort. 
 
The USG funded a small Get-Out-the-Vote project for the 2008 
municipal elections, which reached out specifically to 
diaspora groups. The project sent updated GOTV material to 
the BiH diaspora associations, and this was placed on their 
websites.  This project was focused mainly on outreach to 
those displaced from Srebrenica.  The Embassy learned that 
most in the diaspora prefer to vote by mail rather than in 
person at consulates, or in person in country. 
 
K) If post has received unsolicited requests from the 
diaspora community, please share the nature of the requests, 
the considerations post took into account in formulating 
respective responses, and the outcomes of interaction. 
 
USAID has received a few unsolicited requests from the 
diaspora community, usually from groups requesting USG funds 
to support local sports groups or events.  In all cases USAID 
has responded negatively due to a lack of funds and/or 
because the proposals did not fit into existing AID 
priorities.  Other unsolicited requests from the diaspora 
community have come in the form of input from diaspora 
citizens weighing in on a wide variety of political 
developments.  Such input may originate from religious 
communities in the United States, or from civil society 
associations.  Post responds to such suggestions and requests 
with letters or other communication as appropriate. 
 
L) To what extent has post designed or participated in public 
diplomacy programs customized to diaspora community 
needs and interests? Does post anticipate taking advantage of 
such opportunities in the future? 
 
A group of Bosnian-American intellectuals are planning a 
visit to Sarajevo in October 2009 to include a concert with a 
guest composer from the U.S.  Post plans to host a reception 
for the visitors and other appropriate guests. 
 
M) In planning future programs and anticipating requests for 
assistance from diaspora community actors, what types of 
knowledge management tools and information materials would be 
most helpful to action officers at post? If the 
Department were to develop a reach-back program to academics 
in the field of diaspora community engagement, 
what are post's preferences for accessing such a mechanism? 
 
In planning for future programs, Post would find most useful 
a website that would highlight constructive diaspora 
community activities, concerns, requests and initiatives as 
well as initiatives and suggestions by diaspora experts. 
 
 
ENGLISH