Organised by the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), consultations for the third phase of the MEG project (Municipal Environmental Management) took place in Sarajevo on 19 and 20 May 2025.
The aim of the project is to contribute to the democratisation of local government in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to provide citizens with fairer and more efficient public services, especially in the areas of water supply and sanitation.
The MEG project is strategically positioned to complement and expand the comprehensive efforts of the authorities and representatives of the international community (World Bank, European Union, European Investment Bank, together with the governments of Switzerland and Sweden) in the reform and modernisation of water supply and sanitation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The project also draws on positive experiences and models from neighbouring countries and aims to transfer them. In this context, the Director of Josip Juraj Strossmayer Water Institute, Mario Šiljeg, spoke about the experiences of the Republic of Croatia in the process of reforming the water services sector. In addition to presenting the challenges of the reform of the water sector, which is currently in its final phase, Director Šiljeg also discussed the role of the Institute within the water management system of the Republic of Croatia.
During the discussion, particular interest was expressed in the Institute’s role in educating stakeholders in the water sector, which is one of the Institute’s main activities alongside monitoring. This is part of the ongoing efforts to build and develop capacity in this area in close co-operation with some donors involved in the implementation of the MEG project.