Brnabic, Power discuss future cooperation

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic met with USAID Administrator Samantha Power on Wednesday to discuss opportunities for advancement of future cooperation.

Brnabic noted that Serbia was committed to advance its cooperation with the US and was governed by an inflow of investments by US companies, growing trade in goods and services and significant financial assistance through various development aid programmes, the government press office said in a statement.

Brnabic said her government appreciated all results achieved through the cooperation with USAID and welcomed the agency's readiness to contribute to further transformation in the fields of IT and energy efficiency.

She informed Power of Serbia's progress in supporting tech entrepreneurship, which she said was leading the country towards the objective of becoming an even stronger innovation hub with a potential to create jobs for young people.

The parties also discussed opportunities for cooperation in various fields such as AI and biotech development in Serbia, and especially noted the significance of building a BIO4 campus and of support to its development as the hub for Serbia's new bioeconomy.

Brnabic noted that Serbia was the driving force behind connectivity and development in the region and that the Open Balkan initiative was an excellent example of cooperation that had removed many obstacles, enabling free movement of people, goods, services and capital, and added that it would bring benefits to young people across the region.

She said she hoped the initiative would be joined by other countries in the region.

Power noted the USAID's commitment to keep supporting Serbia's efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and encourage economic growth spearheaded by the private sector, and pointed out the agency's readiness to continue its successful cooperation with Serbia, the statement also said.