Local Action Groups represent formal partnerships of the government, non-government and business sector on the local level, implementing the rural development projects in accordance to the standards and procedures of the EU and the LEADER Initiative. These groups have been established according to the European model, financed in the EU from the structural fond for rural development.
Promotion of the establishment of the European model of Local Action Groups and the start of their pilot projects’ – that have been co-financed by municipalities themselves and the UNDP SUTRA PLOD project – sets a good foundation for further development not only of the rural communities but of the country as a whole. Such an initiative is a good example of the positive changes and steps that take BiH towards the EU, providing a better standard of living for citizens.
The promotion was organized by the United Nations Development Programme, in partnership with the EC Delegation in BiH, the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees and the Ministry for Foreign Trade and Economic relations. Representatives of these respective organizations and institutions have emphasized the importance of the establishment of first LAGs in BiH. Rural development represents a segment of the overall socio-economic development pertaining to the activities and initiatives undertaken to improve living conditions in non-urban areas.
SUTRA is joint initiative of the EU, UNDP, the BiH Ministry for Human rights and Refugees in cooperation with line entity ministries, Brcko District and the BiH Return Fund, aimed at strengthening the domestic authorities on the central and local level. The main goal of this initiative is to enable the domestic authorities to successfully coordinate, strategically plan and lead the return process, preparing them for full ownership over this process, development and European integrations.