Opportunities for sustainable investment in Serbia presented in the UN Headquarters

Dr Begović presented the Map at the event titled “Turning Financing Frameworks into Action”, jointly organised by the UN missions of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Indonesia, Swedish Agency for International Development and Cooperation (SIDA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  

“I believe that the Republic of Serbia is somehow a leader in the region, but if I may as well add, also on a wider scale, globally,” said Minister Begović and added that the Map was developed for the crucial sectors that require investment if we wish to attain the SDGs defined for 2030, so as to make the world a better place. 

“Serbia identified the five key sectors, including agriculture, food production, infrastructure, renewable and new energy resources, and information technology, and these are the fields that contribute to improving the living conditions on the entire planet,” said Dr Begović. 

The UN SDGs Investor Map had been jointly developed by the Government and UNDP Office in Serbia which also provided support to the institutions of the Republic of Serbia in organising this event. 

UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Serbia Yakup Beris said that, by presenting the Map in the UN, Serbia also presented itself as a country dedicated to accelerating sustainable development, in line with the Agenda 2030. 

“The SDGs Investor Map helps Serbia present its opportunities for sustainable investments to worldwide investors. UNDP will continue to support the Government, business sector and investors, so as to accelerate sustainable development which in turn contributes to the economic growth of the country, protection of environment and wider social welfare”, said Beris.  

The Map for Serbia was developed in accordance with the UNDP methodology which had been previously applied in more than 30 countries worldwide. UNDP, the Government and competent institutions determined the sectors and fields which represent profitable opportunities for sustainable investment. Due to this map, investors from all over the world may find information concerning the fields and sectors in Serbia where the most attractive investment opportunities are present in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as with the national developmental needs and priorities of Serbian Government. 

The Map identifies five sectors with opportunities for sustainable investment: food and beverages, renewable energy sources and alternative energy, infrastructure, technology and communications and healthcare.

Within these sectors, the total of 13 most attractive areas for sustainable investment were singled out: production of fresh fruit and vegetables, organic agricultural production, production of solar energy and building of wind farms, development and application of smart technologies in agriculture, as well as development and application of sophisticated software products and services, provision of waste management services, construction and management of harbour infrastructure, construction of energy-efficient residential buildings, construction and management of tourist infrastructure, as well as production and delivery of pharmaceuticals, development and provision of specialised healthcare services and implementation of biotechnology in medicine.  

Potential investors can also find out from the Map what amounts of investments need to be made in individual projects in the field, what investment return they may expect and within what timeframe, how this type of investment is aligned with the national development priorities, as well as about specific SDGs to which their sustainable investment may contribute.

The Map is available at: https://sdginvestorplatform.undp.org/country/serbia.

This event was organised within the High-Level Political Forum which was held in the UN Headquarters in New York 10-19 July, under the patronage of the UN Economic and Social Council, and its main topic was accelerating recovery after the Coronavirus pandemic and implementation of 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.