Bosnia and Herzegovina discusses the implementation of its Strategy for Combating Organized Crime

12-13 July 2023, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Under the leadership of the BiH Ministry of Security, the relevant law enforcement and other authorities engaged in the implementation of the BiH Strategy Against Organized Crime met to analyze the execution of the Strategy and the follow-up development of the institutional Action Plans.

The new BiH Strategy for Combating Organized Crime 2023-2026, is a result of a dialogue between UNODC, the European Union Delegation and  the authorities in BiH, initiated in the context of the UNODC Global Programme for the Implementation of the Organized Crime Convention, with the support of UNODC Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe. As a result of this fruitful cooperation, the Strategy has been developed in line with the UNODC Organized Crime Strategy Toolkit for Developing High-Impact Strategies and adopted earlier this year.

During the course of the two-day meeting, the inter-institutional working group tasked to monitor the Strategy implementation discussed the achievement of the Strategy Goals from the perspective of each of the relevant institution. In addition to the comprehensive presentation of a dozen institutional Action Plans, priorities, activities and the levels of implementation, the discussion focused on key challenges in the implementation and in the fight against organized crime in general.

One of the key Strategic priorities underlined by all members of the working group was the need to further enhance international cooperation in criminal matters as well as national coordination, cooperation and exchange of information. The meeting also facilitated the presentation of national focal points for cooperation with EUROPOL.  

UNODC is committed to supporting the efforts of BiH institutions in the fight against organized crime, in line with SDG 16, particularly SDG 16.a on strengthening relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime.

https://sdg-tracker.org/peace-justice#targets

Strategy for Countering Organized Crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2023-2026