In Sarajevo, on 13.11.2025, the Foundation for Economic Research, VTK/STK BiH and the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina organized, for the second time in a row, the symposium “Development of Economic Relations between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sustainable New Perspectives”.
The President of the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mirsad Jašarspahić, took part in this symposium.
At the symposium, organized with the aim of improving economic cooperation between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina, representatives of institutions, the business community and academic circles from both countries took part.
It was highlighted that, based on analyses carried out over the past five years, Bosnia and Herzegovina records a pronounced trade deficit, indicating that the country still imports significantly more goods than it exports. It was emphasized that precisely in this segment there is significant room and potential for further improvement of economic cooperation between the two countries.
The total trade between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Turkey in the period January–September 2025 maintained a stable trend, with imports of around 1.1 billion KM and exports of 325 million KM.
It is evident that the trade balance remains import-oriented, while showing potential for growth and diversification of cooperation. Bosnia and Herzegovina exports to Turkey mainly raw materials and semi-finished products, while imports are dominated by industrial, textile and electrical products, which undoubtedly confirms the strong interconnectedness of the two countries’ economies. Potential for further development of cooperation could be directed toward processing, industrial technologies and the agri-food sector, in order to strengthen the competitiveness and added value of Bosnian and Herzegovinian goods and services in exports.
Presentations were held on the economic potential of Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina, opportunities for improving trade relations, as well as new approaches to agriculture and livestock breeding in the context of climate change.
On the margins of the symposium, the President of the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mirsad Jašarspahić, held a meeting with the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Turkey, Professor Dr. Omer Bolat.
Ten years ago, the Chamber of Economy of FBiH signed a memorandum on technical and business cooperation with the Foundation for Economic Research, which resulted in the organization of the first symposium titled “Improvement of Economic Relations between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina”, held in Sarajevo in October 2015.
This year’s symposium is a carefully planned activity of the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in coordination with the Foundation for Economic Research from Turkey, which, based on the proposed suggestions and conclusions drawn from analyses of business relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Turkey over the last decade, created by the business community and the state ministries of the two countries, will certainly be a clear roadmap for the further development of economic activities between the two friendly countries.
