SARAJEVO, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) has provided 13.5 million euros (15.82 million U.S. dollars) to strengthen the capacity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in managing irregular migration, said the Delegation of the EU to BiH on Thursday.
The assistance aims to help Bosnian state-level authorities to take the lead in migration management and align their actions with EU standards.
"With strengthened institutional capacities, authorities will better coordinate and manage migration flows, safeguard community interests, and contribute to social stability," said Luigi Soreca, head of the EU delegation and EU special representative in BiH.
Key Bosnian state-level institutions, including the Ministry of Security and the Service for Foreigners' Affairs, will receive the support to improve the management of temporary reception centers, align their border management practices with EU standards, and ensure that assistance and registration procedures fully respect human rights.
The financial support should help better coordinate the delivery of food, non-food items, water, sanitation, hygiene, and healthcare to migrants across the country, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and United Nations Children's Fund.
More than 11,860 migrants have been detected on the Western Balkan route in the first 11 months of 2025, down 43 percent year-on-year, according to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollar)
