Workshop “Support to SDI FBiH Stakeholders through Practical Examples” Held

The workshop “Support to SDI FBiH Stakeholders through Practical Examples” was held on 15 June 2026 at the premises of the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs in Sarajevo. The event was organized with the support of the GeoConnect project, a donor-funded initiative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The workshop represents a continuation of activities aimed at improving the implementation of the Spatial Data Infrastructure of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SDI FBiH) and strengthening cooperation among stakeholders who use spatial data in their daily work.

The workshop brought together representatives of seven institutions from the field of spatial planning, with the aim of exchanging experiences and exploring opportunities for more efficient use of spatial data in planning processes, spatial management, and decision-making.

Within the technical part of the program, Adna Demirović from the Institute for Development Planning of Sarajevo Canton and Vanja Bošnjak from the Federal Ministry of Physical Planning presented the institutions they represent, as well as their role within the SDI FBiH. They also presented applications and objectives developed and implemented by their institutions, highlighting their connection with the SDI FBiH. On this occasion, they spoke about the importance of spatial data in spatial planning and management processes, emphasizing the need for accessible, reliable, and interoperable data as a basis for high-quality spatial governance.

A special contribution to the workshop was made by international experts who presented examples of good practice from European countries. Luc Janssens gave a presentation on Belgium’s experiences in spatial planning, showcasing concrete ways in which spatial data and digital services contribute to more efficient spatial planning and management. Experiences from the Netherlands were presented by Prof. Dr. Joep Crompvoets and Jaap-Willem Sjoukema, who highlighted, through practical examples, the importance of data interoperability, standardized services, and inter-institutional cooperation in the development of spatial data infrastructure.

A particular focus of the workshop was the exchange of experiences among participants and the identification of concrete examples of spatial data use within institutions and stakeholders in the spatial planning sector. Through group work and plenary discussion, opportunities for further improvement of SDI FBiH implementation were discussed, as well as the development of new services that can contribute to more efficient institutional work and better spatial management.

It was concluded that institutions and stakeholders in the field of spatial planning and spatial development are among the most important users of spatial data, and that their active participation in the development and use of SDI FBiH is a key prerequisite for successful spatial planning and sustainable development. The workshop once again confirmed the importance of continuous cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the application of international experience in the further development of the spatial data infrastructure in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.