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Ladies and Gentlemen, 

When the AEOBiH secretariat asked me to give the opening address, I immediately accepted. As the Democracy Officer for USAID/Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am engaged in a lot of things but I wanted to come here so that you and others understand that USAID believes that the work you carry out as members of AEOBiH and as Municipal Election Commissioners during and in between elections is of crucial importance to the consolidation of democracy in BiH. Be assured that you have the absolute full support of USAID. 

I would like to take this opportunity to mention just a few facts about USAID's program in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

The United States Government has provided nearly $900 million to date for the reconstruction of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In support of the Dayton Peace Accords, the U.S. foreign assistance program, implemented primarily by USAID, is helping to create a stable, democratic Bosnia and Herzegovina with a functioning free-market economy.

	William H. Yaeger  Democracy Officer,  U.S. Agency for International Development

Among our biggest program activities is the Municipal Infrastructure and Services Program (MIS), which is a $265 million initiative to rehabilitate basic infrastructure in order to facilitate the return of refugees to their homes and reactivate the local economy. In support of the Dayton Accords, the program is helping stabilize war-damaged Bosnian communities and create the necessary physical environment for normal civilian life. UNHCR has reported over 66,000 minority returns in communities where MIS is active. To date, $226.9 million has been provided for 1,186 projects in the power, water, transport, education and health sectors. 

USAID provides technical assistance to help Bosnia and Herzegovina establish a policy and institutional framework conducive to the emergence of a market economy. USAID has taken the lead in supporting key economic institutions implementing macroeconomic policy in both entities, including the formation and operations of the Central Bank and bank supervision agencies, establishing and implementing tax policy and administration, and entity/state budgets, and external debt management.

USAID also provides technical assistance in a range of areas critical to Bosnia's economic transformation, including privatisation, commercial law and banking reform, capital markets development, and corporate governance. Another key activity is USAID's chairmanship of an international advisory group tasked with abolishing Bosnia and Herzegovina's payment bureaus. 

USAID is also helping build strong, enduring democratic institutions. Our democratic reform agenda includes support for the growth of viable and independent media to allow open access and information to all citizens and candidates; political party building to encourage the development of moderate parties and effective political institutions; legislative training for elected officials and their staff for improved legislative functioning and representation of citizens; national and local election administration support to assist in the conduct of free and fair elections; voter/civic education to encourage citizen participation in the democratic process; judicial reform and institutions which promote open and transparent court systems and protect citizens' rights; and local NGO support to build a viable civil society. 

"The support extended to AEOBiH isan important part of USAID's  commitment to help strengthen the democratic process in BiH."

The mandate and activities of AEOBiH ties in perfectly with USAID priorities, namely that the election process must be driven forward by national agents and forces and that the development and maintenance of basic democratic institutions must become a responsibility lifted and taken in hand by national authorities and non-governmental organisations. 

I salute the initiative to take a closer analytical look at the municipal elections and wish you a very successful conference. 

Thank you. 

For more information on USAID's program in BiH, please contact William H. Yaeger, USAID Sarajevo. Phone: 667900 or e-mail: Wyaeger@usaid.gov