Mostar marked the 20th anniversary of the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) – two decades of investment in financial inclusion, the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and more resilient local economies.
The results speak for themselves: since its establishment, EFSE has invested more than EUR 5 billion and enabled EUR 12.6 billion in financing for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises across Southeast Europe and the Caucasus.
For AMFI and the microcredit sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina, EFSE and Finance in Motion have been long-standing and important partners. Their continuous support has accompanied the development of our sector, the strengthening of institutional capacities, financial inclusion, sustainable finance, and the development of new initiatives – both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and, increasingly, through regional cooperation across the Western Balkans.
We are particularly pleased that representatives of our member institutions were among the panelists at the anniversary event.
Aleksandar Kremenovic, President of the Management Board of MF Banka and one of the pioneers in the development of microcredit in Bosnia and Herzegovina through Mikrokreditno društvo MIKROFIN and MF Banka AD Banja Luka, as part of MF Group, participated in the panel “Adaptive Finance for MSMEs in Dynamic Markets.” The discussion focused on how financial institutions can continue supporting the MSME sector in times of uncertainty while strengthening its long-term resilience.
Zorica Cecaric from MKF MI-BOSPO participated in the panel “Turning Women’s Resilience into Growth,” which focused on access to finance for women-led businesses, their specific support needs, and solutions for stronger and more inclusive economic growth.
A big thank you to the entire EFSE and Finance in Motion team, and especially to our colleagues in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Mejra Juzbasic Bajgoric, Amra Omeragic, Vanja Cico, Tarik Limo, Ermin Bahtanovic and Mahir Kovač – as well as to our colleagues at Finance in Motion’s headquarters in Frankfurt, who recognize the potential of our region and continuously support high-quality projects and initiatives with strong development impact in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the Western Balkans.
Congratulations to EFSE on its first 20 years, and thank you for the partnership. We look forward to the next chapter – new investments, projects and initiatives that will continue to create long-term value for our institutions, clients and the economies of the region.
