USAID/Serbia’s goal for the 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) is to foster a more economically-productive and democratic Serbia pursuing Euro-Atlantic integration and sustainable development. Realization of this goal will be achieved through two development objectives (DOs): (1) resiliency of democratic actors increased, and (2) equitable prosperity increased. Through these DOs, USAID will support Serbia’s efforts to address multifaceted challenges that have slowed democratic consolidation, Euro-Atlantic and regional integration, and inclusive economic growth. Key priorities emphasized in the strategy include fostering broad engagement approach of partnerships with a full range of local stakeholders as well other donors and multilateral organizations; citizen-responsive governance; diversity and inclusivity; as well as resilience to specific stressors on Serbia’s government and society such as climate change and COVID-19.
Development Objective 1, Resiliency of Democratic Actors Increased. USAID will focus its efforts on the responsiveness of government institutions to the public interest; citizen ability to engage their government; and the mitigation of the specific societal stressors of energy security, media literacy, and COVID-19. By pairing support for the public’s engagement with its government with support for government institutional reform, USAID will support opportunities to create positive change that further improvements in democracy, transparency, government performance, or Euro-Atlantic integration. Programs will focus on the rule of law, elections and other government functions.
Development Objective 2, Equitable Prosperity Increased. USAID will increase equitable prosperity in Serbia by accelerating the growth of small and medium enterprises and assisting disadvantaged communities to achieve greater equity through locally-led development initiatives. Programming will assist Serbia in addressing weak economic governance, inequality, poor natural resource management, and poor access to finance.This objective will amplify engagement of the private sector as well as both broader and marginalized communities in their own development. To ensure equity and inclusion, programs will utilize gender-sensitive approaches and facilitate the participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities and LGBTQI+ persons.