The Director of the United States Agency for International Development in BiH, Nancy J. Eslick, signed a contract with the UNICEF Representative Rownak Khan at a ceremony at the UN office in Sarajevo this morning, witnessed by the US Ambassador Eric Nelson and the UN Resident Coordinator Ingrid Macdonald.
The new two-year program “Strengthening Social and Health Care in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina” will address its devastating impact on BiH citizens, especially socio-economic impacts. COVID-19 has dramatically slowed the planned economic growth, impacting the income of many in BiH, but also the education of children, preventing them from learning the necessary skills.
The United Nations emphasizes the need to address the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and society as a whole. As the implementer of this project, UNICEF will encourage social entrepreneurship, support the efforts of the BiH authorities to vaccinate citizens, and other health services in returning people to work and eliminating problems in education that have disproportionately affected vulnerable students. Vaccination activities include improving the so-called cold chain, electronic immunization monitoring system and risk communication, and training of health professionals. The UN also believes that in addition to serious health risks, the lack of vaccination could lead to reduced productivity and consumption, negatively affecting the business of companies and create permanent financial damage.
“This will help BiH to launch activities in combating the effects of the pandemic,” said US Ambassador Eric Nelson. “It is important to support the return of people to work, to an environment that guarantees that they will stay healthy, and to enable students to continue learning the skills needed for a successful career after graduation. A long-term, robust, open economy is key to BiH’s path to self-sufficiency,” concluded Ambassador Nelson.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in financial vulnerability of children and families, and vulnerable groups of citizens are more affected than the average population,” said Rownak Khan, the UNICEF Representative in BiH. “This is especially true for those at risk of extreme poverty and young people in the labor market. Withing this project, UNICEF and USAID will support fact-based solutions of the most vulnerable populations and advocate for their systematic integration into policies, strategies and programs,” said Khan. “Especially those at risk of extreme poverty, as well as young people in the labor market. As part of the interventions within the project, UNICEF and USAID will support context-based and evidence-based solutions and advocate for their systematic integration into policies, strategies and programs.”
In addition to these new funds, the United States has provided $ 2.2 million in financial assistance to combat COVID-19 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including $ 1.5 million for UNICEF. Globally, USAID has provided billions of dollars to combat COVID-19 in more than 120 countries.
