BOSNIA RECEIVES ANOTHER US73 MILLION OF ASSISTANCE FROM AMERICA

SARAJEVO, Feb 18 (Hina) - Representatives of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina and of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Thursday signed an agreement in Sarajevo on an additional US73 million of assistance for the reconstruction of the country. The agreement, signed by the Council's co-chairmen, Haris Silajdzic and Svetozar Mihajlovic, and USAID Mission director in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Craig Buck, envisages non-payable US$35 million for the reconstruction of the country's infrastructure, and US$38 million will be directed to Bosnia-Herzegovina through commercial loans. Buck said the USAID had last year invested US$767 million into reconstruction programmes in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which significantly transcended the US$600 million promised by President Bill Clinton after the signing of the Dayton Agreement. Our contribution to the overall economy growth rate in Bosnia- Herzegovina now calculates at 25 per cent, Buck said. The USAID has so far financed 107 different reconstruction programmes in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and has ensured US$138 million through credit programmes, which directly made possible the creation of 17,000 new jobs. (hina) lml jn