Members of the PA BiH Delegation to the PA of the Union for the Mediterranean Milan Petković and Rejhana Dervišević participated in the meeting of the Committee for Economic and Financial Affairs, Social Affairs and Education PA UzM in Istanbul

The Chair of the Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PA BiH) to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA UzM) Milan Petković and Deputy Chair of the Delegation Rejhana Dervišević participated in the meeting of the Committee for Economic and Financial Affairs, Social Affairs and Education PA UZM, which was held in Istanbul.

In her address to the participants of the meeting, where the economic and social effects of migration in the Mediterranean region were discussed, the Deputy Chair of the PA BiH Delegation to PA UzM Rejhana Dervišević assessed that migrations in the Mediterranean region, if managed well, can have great potential for the economic, social and cultural development of the countries of the region.

Emphasizing as an example the refugee crisis in which Europe accepted several million refugees ten years ago, mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, Dervišević said that at the beginning of the crisis, many people were worried that it would harm the economy of European countries. However, Dervišević added, later studies showed that by 2022, migrants were already making a strong contribution to the economy — filling the workforce shortage and starting businesses.

According to Dervišević, success in migration management depends on the well-organized integration of migrants into society, which includes investment in their education and support for learning the language of the host country, respect for human rights, including equal access to education and jobs, and the active inclusion of migrants in social life, with respect for their language and culture, instead of forced assimilation.

"Integration is a two-way street - migrants must adapt, but society must also open up and support them. When migrants feel part of society, they invest in it. The faster migrants learn the language and local skills, the faster they can contribute economically to society and the host country," said Dervišević, adding that it is important to recognize and use the skills of migrants, not just offering them jobs with low wages.

In her address, Dervišević also referred to the current economic conditions in the Mediterranean region, bearing in mind regional geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, climate change and extreme weather conditions, which are circumstances that, as she said, worsen existing social, economic and ecological challenges.

"In the current geopolitical context, economic policies must be aimed at strengthening economic, financial and trade integration in the Euro-Mediterranean regions, as well as cooperation, with the aim of increasing financial and investment flows in critical sectors of the region, including infrastructure for energy transition, education, agriculture, health and high-tech development that can contribute to the long-term growth and prosperity of the countries of the region", concluded the Deputy Chair of the PA BiH Delegation to PA UzM Rejhana Dervišević. (end)