PANEL AND WORKING GROUP THEMES: QUESTIONS FOR POLICY

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION: CANADIAN ASSISTANCE IN CONTEXT.



It is a truism to say that war has all but destroyed the economic, political and social fabric of Bosnian society. Bosnians and international agencies now find themselves with the complex, multidimensional task of healing the wounds of war. Since 1991, Canada has contributed $84.5 million for the reconstru ction of Bosnia. The past year alone, Canadian assistance to the war-torn state amounted to nearly 25% of the total assistance envelope targeting Central and Eastern Europe ($21 million). Canada ranks sixth among the G-7 states in terms of the percentage of aid allocated to the region. With continued assistance from the international community and substantial reconstruction, the post-election period may see the possibility of preventing a recurrence of conditions which led to war.


Que stions for Policy



  • What are the economic, political and social prerequisites for rebuilding BosniaÕs economy?

  • What macro-economic standards and norms should guide reconstruction in Bosnia and how can these be most effec tively promoted and implemented?

  • How can the EBRD, IBRD, OECD and World Bank most effectively contribute to the task of rebuilding BosniaÕs war-torn economy?

  • What should be done to avert the problem of aid-dependence and to pro mote BosniaÕs private sector?

  • To what extent can international aid become a source of conflict in Bosnia, rather than a tool of reconciliation?

  • Should Canada direct its official development assistance (ODA) to other countries a nd regions where it could be more effective and what results should Canada look for in assessing the effectiveness of its assistance programmes?

  • Should the preponderance of Canadian ODA to Bosnia-Hercegovina and to the former Yugoslavia be d irected through multilateral channels as at present or should more of it be directed bilaterally?

  • What confidence-building and/or cooperative measures are required to re-establish trust between the parties and their constituents after the Se ptember 14, 1996 elections?

  • How can grass roots institutions of civil society best be promoted and by whom? Can partnerships be arranged with local NGOs? What partnerships are best suited to Canadian involvement?

  • How can former combatants, victims and most vulnerable members of society be most effectively assisted to make the practical and psychological transition from war to peace?

  • What are the financial, institutional and knowledge-based limitations of CanadaÕs assistance to social reconstruction?