The Maryland–Bosnia and Herzegovina Exchange Council (MBHEC) recently brought together representatives from the City of Mostar, Maryland Environmental Service (MES), and Mostar’s public utility companies Deponija and Komunalno for a working-level exchange on environmental protection and waste management.The discussion focused on Mostar’s landfill and broader waste-management efforts, including current challenges, planned activities, environmental priorities, and potential solutions. Representatives from Deponija and Komunalno shared their practical experience and the issues they face in managing waste and environmental services in Mostar.Maryland Environmental Service shared experience from Maryland in environmental management and waste management, including approaches to operations, procedures, public communication, and cooperation with local governments, NGOs, and the private sector.
Next Steps: Connecting Local Experience with Policy
The exchange is intended to continue beyond the initial discussions between Mostar and Maryland.In the next phase, MBHEC aims to help connect the Maryland Department of the Environment with the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This would provide an opportunity to bring the local experience and challenges identified in Mostar into a broader discussion with the institutions responsible for environmental policy and regulation at the Federation level.Potential areas for cooperation include waste management, landfill management, environmental monitoring, environmental policy and regulation, public communication, and cooperation between government institutions, public utilities, and other stakeholders.
A Practical Approach to Maryland–BiH Cooperation
The Maryland–Mostar exchange reflects MBHEC’s approach to building practical cooperation between Maryland and Bosnia and Herzegovina: bringing people and institutions together around specific issues and creating opportunities to share experience, identify common challenges, and explore practical solutions.MBHEC looks forward to continuing the exchange between Maryland and Mostar and exploring opportunities for longer-term cooperation in waste management, environmental protection, sustainability, policy, and innovation.
