Seventh Smart City Forum in Bosnia and Herzegovina: The future of digital transformation in Bosnia and Herzegovina - are we ready for the next steps?

29th February 2024

In the shadow of rapid digital transformation, Bosnia and Herzegovina faces the question of its readiness for the next steps in the digital age. Understanding the challenges and opportunities arising from this evolution becomes crucial to shaping the future. In this dynamic phase of technological development, the country is faced with the challenges of adaptation, but at the same time with numerous opportunities that can transform the way of life, work and interaction.

At the beginning of the week, the seventh Smart City Forum took place in the premises of Hotel Pino Nature in Trebević, an event that was realized as a key pillar in supporting digital transformation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Organized by Bit Alliance, the umbrella association of the largest IT companies in BiH, the forum brought an even deeper understanding of smart cities, a global category whose concept has developed under the influence of technological progress and innovations of large companies. The forum was moderated by Hamza Čengić, associate for marketing projects at Bit Alliance, and officially opened by Damir Maglajlić, executive director of Bit Alliance. Maglajlić stressed the key role of the cooperation of all actors gathered under the auspices of the Smart City Forum, and emphasized the importance of continuous exchange of knowledge, experiences, positive practices and lessons learned. Amira Omanović, program manager at GIZ in Bosnia and Herzegovina, addressed the participants of the seventh Smart City Forum.

"The digital transformation of local governments is a process that should aim to improve the provision of services to citizens and the economy. In order to be sure that we will do the right thing in the process, we include interested parties and check which processes or services are most important to them, which need to be modernized or digitized," said Omanović.

Smart City Guide, one of the results of the project "Smart cities - towards the digital transformation of cities in BiH", was presented at the Forum. The project is implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) in cooperation with Bit Alliance, and in partnership with the companies Lanaco and DVC Solutions.

The guide was presented by the authors prof. Dr. Lejla Turulja and Assoc. Dr. Srđan Nogo. This guide not only precisely defines the concept of smart cities, but also provides clear steps that public local governments should take in order to take full advantage of the benefits of digital transformation. Exploring in detail the various components that make a city "smart", the Guide specifically highlights key strategies for using technology and data in urban planning and management processes. The aim of the Guide is not only to inform, but also to encourage cooperation, the involvement of citizens, as well as making informed decisions, laying the foundations for sustainable, innovative and adaptable urban development in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"Smart City Forum is intended as a meeting platform for all interested actors - public administration, institutions, private sector and international organizations, who have an interest in the implementation of digital transformation initiatives and processes. Digital transformation is a process that is inevitable, and the speed with which we accept new ways of working will affect the quality of life of our society in the future. The first step is to present a holistic approach to these processes, and to create a long-term strategic orientation at all levels, as well as a willingness to cooperate, especially through public-private partnerships." - said Kristina Erak, project manager of the Smart Cities project.

Smart City Forum, since its inception, serves as a key platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences with a clear focus on improving the process of digital transformation in public local governments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thus, within the framework of the forum, a lecture was held on the topic "The role of modern information and communication technologies in the development of future smart cities" by Dr. Dejan Vukobratović, head of the Department of Telecommunications at the Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad. dr. Vukobratović gave the participants of the forum an insight into the concept of information and communication technologies, and introduced them to the key role of them in the development of smart cities. Additionally, this lecture was enriched with positive practices from Serbia and Slovenia, investigated within the Marvel project realized through the EU Horizon program, providing participants with concrete knowledge about the implementation of these technologies in urban planning and management.

With an emphasis on the improvement of digital transformation in public local governments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a panel discussion entitled "The future of digital transformation in BiH - are we ready for the next steps?" was highlighted. The panel provided additional structure and direction to the discussion, and it was attended by Irida Varatanović from the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH, Predrag Pajić from the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the RS, Nermin Fatkić from the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the FBiH and Adnan Kulovac, an expert on digitization.

The key conclusions of the panel include recognized challenges in the digital development of public local governments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Deceived