The Cantonal Agency for Attracting Investments and Privatization (KAIP) and the Vienna Business Agency (VBA) today signed a Cooperation Agreement in Sarajevo, aimed at enhancing investment attraction and promoting mutual economic collaboration.
The agreement was signed by Adnan Jašarević, Director of KAIP, and Amra Hašimbegović, Assistant Director for Investments, on behalf of KAIP, and by Dominic Weiss, CEO of Vienna Business Agency, and Christian Frey, Director of International Business, on behalf of VBA. This partnership establishes an institutional framework for future cooperation between Sarajevo and Vienna in improving the business environment, attracting investments, and supporting economic growth.
“This is an important step in the interest of both our economies and our investors. We have already been cooperating successfully with our partners from Vienna, and this agreement now formalizes that collaboration for the future. Austria has long been one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most important economic partners and investors, but we aim to take that relationship to a new level — one that includes concrete investment realization through various models, including public-private partnerships and emerging development sectors. Today, we have economically connected Sarajevo Canton and the City of Vienna in a meaningful way,” said Jašarević.
He expressed special thanks to the Office of the City of Vienna in Sarajevo and noted his appreciation for the presence and support of representatives from the Sarajevo Canton Assembly and Government, the City of Sarajevo, as well as members of the public and private business community.
“As the central point of contact for all investors in Sarajevo Canton, KAIP continues to pave the way for investments by building stronger international partnerships in support of the local economy. This agreement sends a clear signal to investors looking for a stable, predictable, and supportive environment for their projects. Investment levels in Sarajevo Canton have already seen annual growth of around 13% over the past two years, and we expect this trend to accelerate. We recently signed a similar agreement with the Hungarian national agency HEPA in Budapest and are planning to expand institutional cooperation with other key international partners,” Jašarević added.
VBA CEO Dominic Weiss expressed satisfaction with the establishment of the new partnership framework, emphasizing Sarajevo Canton’s economic potential. He noted that the people of Sarajevo and Vienna share a deep mutual understanding, which can serve as a foundation for joint success in achieving shared goals.
The signing ceremony was attended by high-level officials, including Chairman of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly Edo Okerić, Minister of Economy Zlatko Mijatović, Chairman of the Sarajevo City Council Jasmin Ademović, and Austrian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Georg Diwald, among others.
At the beginning of the ceremony, participants observed a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the recent tragic attack in Graz.
