In March 2023, when the Government of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity announced that it was terminating cooperation with the embassies of the United States and Great Britain, the activities carried out by the Embassy of the United States in the RS amounted to about $11 million. Pročitaj više

The US Embassy told Radio Free Europe that since 1995, this country has invested more than $2 billion in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is estimated that some $638 million, was invested in the RS.

Infrastructure – $113 million

Municipal and District Court buildings in Banja Luka, courts in Doboj, Srebrenica, education and technical support to judicial institutions; bridges in Brod, Dubica, Novi Grad, Gradiska, Samac, Laktasi; reconstruction of the Music School building in East Sarajevo, sports fields and playgrounds in the municipalities of Bratunac, Lopare and Ugljevik; installation of energy-efficient public lighting in Srebrenica.

The US also renovated several kindergartens and children's playgrounds in Banja Luka and equipped dozens of STEM classrooms in schools throughout the RS.

Public administration

Creation of local government contact centers; technical assistance, training and grants to small and medium-sized enterprises, provision of external services in the IT sector, wood and metal processing, and US tourism also helped the RS during the adoption of the Tourism Development Strategy.

Economy/finance

The US supported 39 companies that created more than 800 jobs; US loan guarantee programs with several commercial banks; The US also supported the RS Banking Agency.

Energy sector

The US promotes energy efficiency and works to improve energy policy; they also developed digital register of renewable energy sources in the RS.

Social sector

The US supported the opening of centers for the most vulnerable in Banja Luka, Foca and Trebinje; after the 2014 floods, almost $5 million were invested in the construction of 75 houses in Doboj, Samac, Bratunac and Bijeljina; helping farmers recover; grants for starting a business for marginalized women from 20 municipalities.

The RS Government terminated cooperation with the embassies of the United States of America and Great Britain in BiH on March 23. They stated they were “forced” to make such a decision, justifying it by the “interference” of those embassies in “internal affairs in Bosnia and Herzegovina”.

The U.S. Embassy pointed out that this road does not benefit the RS residents, whom, they claim, RS President Milorad Dodik claims to protect.

They added that they have long-term working relations with the institutions of the RS, and that they will continue to help the RS citizens as before, but that they will not help the regime that uses “authoritarian tactics against its own people”.