Belgrade, December 2, 2022 – The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, met today with the Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia (E&E) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Erin E. McKee, who is visiting Serbia for the first time.
During the meeting they discussed the development priorities of Serbia, as well as the areas in which the agency has been cooperating with our country since 2001 as part of the U.S. Government’s development assistance to Serbia.
Prime Minister Brnabić presented the priorities of the Serbian Government's reform agenda, while Ambassador McKee emphasized USAID's commitment to continue supporting Serbia's efforts in strengthening democratic institutions and encouraging economic growth led by the private sector.
During the conversation, the two discussed the energy sector, its sustainability, stability and independence, energy diversification, as well as environmental protection, in order to ensure that Serbia’s energy needs are met.
The Prime Minister informed the Ambassador about Serbia’s progress in supporting technological entrepreneurship, which will help Serbia become an even stronger center in the field of innovation that has the potential to create new jobs for young people.
They also discussed USAID's support for these efforts through activities implemented under the umbrella of the projects "Venture an Idea” and "Serbia Innovates", which work to bring together relevant parties in order to create a strong ecosystem that supports innovation in our country.
Another area of partnership that was discussed was USAID's support to the Government's agenda for continuing the harmonization of Serbia's democratic institutions with European Union standards. USAID expressed that it intends to continue implementing projects that provide support for reforms.
"During the 21-year partnership, the United States of America has invested more than 1 billion dollars in the development of Serbia, and USAID programs account for about 75 percent of that investment. I firmly believe that the best possible future for Serbia is in the EU, and USAID will continue to help the Government adopt the necessary reforms and move forward on that path," said McKee.
The U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher R. Hill, also attended the meeting.
Prime Minister's Office