Speeches

It is my great pleasure to be back in Bucharest. I am particularly honoured to be part of such a distinguished panel. The topic – promoting foreign direct investment through privatisation -- is a crucial one for all transition countries. And the question – does privatisation deliver? – is by no means rhetorical. Indeed, as far as Bosnia and H [...]

This gathering is particularly important because you are -- or should be -- among the opinion leaders in this country as far as its future economic framework is concerned. You are the experts, and it falls to you to assist in providing an intellectual framework for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s economic development, making that development understanda [...]

It is almost exactly eight years since the Dayton Agreement ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In that period the country has moved from intensive peace implementation in the first year (backed by 60,000 NATO-led troops), through a longer phase of political and economic reconstruction, marked by general elections in 1996, 1998 and 2000, and [...]

As you know, I come here today with Judge Theodor Meron, the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to speak about our joint plans to create a domestic capacity for prosecuting war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But first, with your permission Mr President, I would like to give you a more general overview of [...]

I am here today to talk about how you can make this country work. I am addressing you because I believe you are the ones who can begin to make it work. You have it within your power to bring about a fundamental change in the fortunes of your fellow citizens -- and from the conversations I have had with many of you I believe that you want to and ar [...]

I know that, because I serve on the board of one of the UK’s finest, and – I am proud to say – most consistently awkward newspapers. Newspapers are awkward because unfolding events are awkward, and opinion is awkward, and politics are awkward, and the result of last night soccer game is awkward – and good newspapers reflect the awkwardness of life [...]

It is a great pleasure to be here today. This centre will provide a crucial service, particularly to small- and medium-sized enterprises, because it will provide the kind of infrastructure that businesses often require from time to time but cannot afford to establish on a permanent basis.

The Economist Business Roundtable deals with management culture, investment conditions and government intervention, and it is this focused business perspective that makes the discussion here so refreshing – because your bottom line is whether companies can do business profitably in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The short answer is yes, they can. What t [...]

Thank you. When I was reviewing the program for this Symposium I was struck by the urgency of the theme – “Accounting and Auditing in a Crisis Environment”. But I was also encouraged by the recognition that this is an environment that requires serious and vigorous change. Your organization is only one among many that have in recent months underta [...]

We are here to pay tribute to twelve men and women – five of them from the Office which I am now privileged to lead - who gave their lives in the service of peace in this country. This ceremony has become – rightly – an annual occasion. Each year, we journey to this remote and timeless spot to remember our colleagues.