Investing in a public-private partnership is an investment in the future of the country  | Bosna Bank International

Investing in a public-private partnership is an investment in the future of the country 

13.05.2022.

As part of the second day of the 11th Sarajevo Business Forum, a business dialogue was held with representatives from Malaysia. Among others, participators of discussion were Mr. Noor Azmi Mat Said, CEO of the NGO Human Life Advancement Foundation, Mr. Wan Muhammed Zainal Wan Yahya, Deputy General Manager of the Malaysian Franchise Association, Mr. Mohd Akil Bin Mohd Yusof, Board Trustee of the Islamic Tourism Centre Malaysia, Mr. Dzenan Mujezinovic, director for marketing and distribution in the BIMAL Group, and Eldina Muftić, Executive Director at Zeraa Agriculture and Investment.

Speakers stressed the importance of cooperation between Malaysia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in all areas, with emphasis on education and science, establishing and connecting the tourism industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the importance of communication between the tourism sector and all participants in a sustainable and competitive market. Ms. Azra Colic, Head of VIP Club BBI Bank and Mr. Wan Muhammed Zainal Wan Yahya, Deputy General Manager of the Malaysian Franchise Association signed a memorandum on business cooperation and mutual support.

The role of public-private partnership and knowledge transfer in the private and public sector was the topic of the third panel of the second day of the 11th Sarajevo Business Forum. Among the panellists were Mr. Manuela Naessl, Head of the Office for BH at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Mr. Sven Petke, Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Ms. Ana Lucia Lind, International Banker and Financial Advisor and Investor, Dr. Kemal Aydin, President of the Scientific Committee of the World Summit on Aging and the World Congress on Aging, H.E. Olav Reinersten, Norwegian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Dadan Irawan Sarpingi, President 4848 Group with offices in Jakarta, Bangkok, Singapore, Boston and Jeddah and Mr. Dado Duric, Director of Operations at APS Façade.

The head of the EBRD office in BH, Mr. Manuela Nessl, said that opportunities are seen in all industrial sectors in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The EBRD, as the largest international financial investor in BH and the region, is helping to establish public-private sectors. The greatest potential for establishing public-private partnerships is seen in the energy and health sectors, where state-owned companies continue to dominate.

Mr. Sven Petke, head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation's office, said the public-private partnership is an alternative to infrastructure procurement, as it creates non-profit projects and minimizes costs in creating infrastructure.
"Private-public partnership should be an option in making infrastructure projects, and this is a good way to enable the necessary investments by municipalities and the state",  Mr. Petke said.

Ms. Ana Lucia Lind, International Financial Advisor, saw through her experience that investing in public-private partnerships is an investment in the future of the country.
"The same models of public-private partnership are applicable in all governments and countries in the world, and this is a model that is applicable to every element of state development", said Ms. Lucia Lind.

H.E. Olav Reinersten, Norwegian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke about the idea of establishing a business association between BH and Norway.
"There is a lot of room for investment and trade, especially in the renewable energy industry, tourism, metal, as well as traditional industries", H.E. Reinerster said.

Mr. Dadan Irawan Sarpingi, President of 4848 Group from Indonesia, said that one of the models for business survival is business-public partnership, but that cooperation between the government and the private sector must be set on a "win-win basis".
"During the pandemic, the only businesses that survived in Indonesia were organized through a private-public partnership. "This is a new economic model after the pandemic that is being emphasized, and it needs to be regulated through economic reforms and "pro-business" orientation," Mr. Sarpingi said.

President of the Scientific Committee of the World Summit on Aging and the World Congress on Aging Dr. Kemal Aydin mentioned the global health problem, and it is about the neglect of the elderly population around the world. As a solution, he sees the participation of public-private partnerships that will deal with this problem.

Mr. Dado Duric, director of operations at APS Facade, said that the cooperation between the public-private partnership in Great Britain is at a high level.
"Both the private sector and the government follow the principles and rules, and in that way both the operational and financial side work very well for both sides", Duric said.