Sarajevo, 13 July 2023 - As part of continuous support for the development of capacities for managing migration flows in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Union donated equipment worth 170,900 KM to the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH in Sarajevo today.

Karel Lizerot, Head Section for Justice and Home Affairs, Migration and Public Administration Reform, at the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina handed over the equipment to  Enes Karić, Director of Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH. "The European Union invests in building the capacity of agencies that are involved in the response to migration flows in BiH, including the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH. Our support will continue in the coming period," Lizerot said.

This equipment includes specialized protective clothing and footwear and is part of comprehensive support for the work of the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will significantly facilitate the work of police officers in the field. Namely, the European Union donated ten specialized all-terrain vehicles worth 725,000 KM to the Directorate in March this year, which will help police officers increase their mobility and operational efficiency.

Director Enes Karić presented activities aimed at building and strengthening the Directorate's capacities, as well as activities included in the Strategic Plan for the Development of the Directorate related to strengthening communication, coordination and cooperation both with police bodies in BiH and with international partners. He particularly emphasized the Directorate's participation in providing security in Temporary Reception Centers accommodating migrants, where members of the Directorate provide physical protection and actively contribute to the safety and quality of life of migrants and employees. Director Karić emphasized that the mentioned donated equipment is important for quality performance of daily work and tasks of the Directorate's police officers in the field and is in accordance with their priorities of strengthening the material and technical capacities of the Directorate.

Through the project "Individual measure to strengthen the response capacity to manage migration flows in Bosnia and Herzegovina", the EU provides significant support to the BiH Ministry of Security, Service for Foreigners' Affairs, Border Police, and the Sector for Asylum, Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, among other institutions and agencies that are responsible for this sector. One of the key components of the project is the provision of equipment, capacity building and professional assistance for the establishment of an integrated migration and border management system in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

An important milestone in the capacity building efforts in BiH took place in early 2022 when security services within Temporary Reception Centers in Sarajevo and Una-Sana Cantons were officially handed over to Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH. This transfer of responsibility to the state is part of a wider initiative supported by the EU and with the support of the IOM, which includes strengthening the state's response to mixed migration through procurement of equipment, and the strengthening of the capacities of the relevant institutions.

IOM continues to prioritize the ownership of the state in managing mixed migration response by gradually transferring responsibility for the management of reception facilities and provision of protection-sensitive assistance to all migrants.

Thanks to the financial support of the EU, Temporary Reception Centers have been established in BiH, and since 2018 and their functioning is continuously supported, with IOM as the leading partner in the project. Migrants residing in BiH are provided with food and water, sanitation, clothing, psychological counselling and education services, as well as an integrated, fair, efficient and transparent system of health services.

The European Union remains committed to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in managing migration flows in the country. Through joint efforts and continuous support, the EU aims to ensure the well-being and protection of migrants while supporting the leading role of the state in responding to migration flows, and sustainable solutions. The project is implemented by IOM in partnership with UNHCR, UNICEF and UNFPA.

Evropska unija donira specijaliziranu opremu Direkciji za koordinaciju policijskih tijela BiH