The recent Economist’s article states that majority of foreign investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina are coming from the politically unstable Middle East. For the last twenty years Bosnia has had struggled to recover its economy from the war in the 1990's. This investment is both a blessing and a curse for Bosnia.

Bosnia is a multi cultural country with majority people being Muslim. The liberal Muslim faith practiced in Bosnia is much different than the strict conservative beliefs found in many Middle Eastern countries. The article mentions local individuals wishing to invest but being shut out because many properties are saved for Saudi’s investors.

Arabs want to invest in Bosnia for its Muslim friendly outdoor recreation opportunities. Bosnia is being fast tracked into EU membership which will enable Arabs to have their own slice of Europe. A small resort next to my hometown has been caught in wave of Arab investment. Bosnian are excited and terrified at the same time wondering if Arabs putting themselves in charge of Bosnian economy will ever be equal to what Bosnia was before the war.

The last two summers have been really popular for Arab tourist and investors in Bosnia. In the first ten months of 2015 over 19000 came from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Growing up in Bosnia I have never encountered an Arab individual. Now every coffee shop or restaurant in Sarajevo has at least a table with foreign Arab visitors. Buroj is being a Dubai development outside of Sarajevo that is contracting 3000 villas, a hospital, a sports stadium, and the largest shopping mall in the Balkans. Being a Bosnian national I want to see Bosnia economically thrive but will it fracture politically. Will an influx of Arab right wing conservators with money influence politicians? Is Buroj outside of Sarajevo going to segregate Arabs vs Bosnian nationals?