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Press Release
19 September 2023
Serbia's Commitment to Sustainable Development: Building on Progress, Acting on Necessity
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Story
18 September 2023
Responding to cascading global crises, SDG Summit launches new phase of accelerated action on the Sustainable Development Goals
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Speech
12 September 2023
Session #2 on Climate and Energy: UNRC Talking Points
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Serbia
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Serbia:
Story
18 September 2023
Responding to cascading global crises, SDG Summit launches new phase of accelerated action on the Sustainable Development Goals
18 September 2023 – Gathering at the SDG Summit on 18 to 19 September, world leaders agreed today to urgently step up their efforts to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), our global roadmap out of crises, by 2030.
World leaders made an historic global promise to secure the rights and well-being of everyone on a healthy, thriving planet when they agreed to the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs in 2015. However, at midpoint of SDG implementation, the SDGs are in peril. Tens of millions have fallen into poverty since 2020. Over 110 million people are forcibly displaced. Inequalities have worsened, strikingly so for women and girls. Many governments are forced to choose between debt payments and investing in healthcare and education. The climate emergency is wreaking havoc on lives and livelihoods. Developing countries and the world’s most vulnerable people continue to bear the brunt of these crises.
“The SDGs aren’t just a list of goals. They carry the hopes, dreams, rights and expectations of people everywhere,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Yet today, only 15 per cent of the targets are on track. Many are going in reverse. Instead of leaving no one behind, we risk leaving the SDGs behind.”
The Political Declaration
Leaders adopted a decisive, action-oriented political declaration at the Summit, highlighting their collective commitment to build a sustainable, inclusive and prosperous world by 2030.
With a strong focus on the means of implementation, and in particular, on financing for development, the declaration acknowledges that without a quantum leap in investments to enable just and equitable energy, food, digital transitions, and a transformation in education and robust social protection in developing countries, the goals simply will not be met.
Additionally, the Declaration urges immediate action to deliver an SDG Stimulus proposed by the UN Secretary-General, which calls for a massive increase in financing for the achievement of the SDGs to the tune of $500 billion each year. It also conveys strong support from all countries for a much-needed reform of the international financial architecture to better reflect today’s global economy.
“I am deeply encouraged by the detailed and wide-ranging draft political declaration under consideration here today — especially its commitment to improving developing countries’ access to the fuel required for SDG progress: finance. This can be a game-changer in accelerating SDG progress,” stated the Secretary-General.
Global and National Commitments
Over 100 Countries will present national commitments to SDG Transformation that include priority transitions and areas for investment, setting national benchmarks for reducing poverty and inequalities by 2027 and strengthening institutional frameworks to support SDG progress. In addition to these national commitments, developed countries and other countries who have the capacity, are expected to make individual global commitments drawing on the Secretary-General’s proposal for an SDG Stimulus and broader means of implementation, such as fulfilling ODA commitments, suspending debt payments and agreeing on innovative finance mechanisms.
SDG Action Weekend
The SDGs cannot be delivered by governments alone. The SDG Action Weekend on 16 to 17 September gave an opportunity for over 3000 people from all sectors of society to outline their commitments to accelerate progress on the SDGs. The SDG Mobilization Day on Saturday 16 September saw business, civil society, science, local authorities and young people making meaningful contributions to SDG implementation.
The SDG Acceleration Day on 17 September highlighted UN High-Impact Initiatives that show that transformation is possible and will help to drive momentum for action on the ground in the coming years. The initiatives focus on six major transitions that will drive progress across the SDGs: i) Social Protection; ii) Energy; iii.) Education; iv) Food Systems; v) Digital Transformation; vi) Biodiversity and Nature, underpinned by greater financing and other supports, as well as action to advance gender equality.
About the Summit
The opening of the Summit featured statements by the President of the General Assembly Dennis Francis, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the Economic and Social Council Paula Narvaéz.
The 2-day Summit will feature a short plenary segment to hear the actions and commitments delivered on behalf of groups of States. Six Leaders' Dialogues will allow Heads of State and Government to report on progress and set out concrete national commitments to SDG transformation.
SDG Media Zone, 18-22 September, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
The SDG Media Zone is a key feature of the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week, bringing together world leaders, influencers, activists, experts, content creators and media partners to highlight actions and solutions in support of the SDGs. Organized by the UN Department of Global Communications, in collaboration with the PVBLIC Foundation, the Zone takes the conversation on advancing the 2030 Agenda into the public discourse through impactful in-depth interviews and conversations on global issues that matter to people everywhere. All sessions will livestream on UN WebTV.
SDG Pavilion, 15-22 September
The SDG Pavilion is a beacon for the Sustainable Development Goals. It was created to mark the halfway point of the Goals. To use a sporting analogy, we are down at halftime.
However, the good news is that any given match is won in the second half. Organized by the UN Office for Partnerships, in collaboration with Project Everyone, the SDG Pavilion will host a series of Halftime Talks and a high level gathering of women leaders to mobilize the world to keep the promise of the SDGs. Sessions will be livestreamed on UN WebTV.
Follow the SDG Summit
Please follow us on the SDG Summit, using the main hashtags: #GlobalGoals and #SDGs.
On Facebook: United Nations, Global GoalsUN, DESA, Sustainable Development
On Twitter: @UN, @GlobalGoalsUN, @UNDESA, @SustDev, @UN_Partnerships
For more additional information, please visit key links below:
The SDG Summit 2023 website and SDG Summit Programme
The SDG Summit Media Corner
The SDG Action Weekend
High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly Snapshot
The Sustainable Development Goals Website
Follow key events live on UN WebTV
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Story
04 September 2023
United Nations SDG Summit 2023: Securing a Sustainable Future
The United Nations will convene the SDG Summit on 18-19 September 2023 at its Headquarters in New York, during the General Assembly high-level week. With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at midpoint, world leaders will carry out a comprehensive review of the state of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), respond to the impact of multiple and interlocking crises facing the world, and provide high-level political guidance on transformative and accelerated actions towards the target year of 2030.
But the Agenda is a promise, not a guarantee. At the halftime mark, the promise is in deep peril. For the first time in decades, development progress is reversing under the combined impacts of climate disasters, conflict, economic downturn and lingering COVID-19 effects. The SDG Summit serves as a rallying cry to recharge momentum, for world leaders to come together, to reflect on where we stand and resolve to do more. It is a moment to recommit to a vision of the future that ensures no one is left behind. Fundamental shifts in commitment, solidarity, financing and action must put us back on track to end poverty, realize just societies and reset a balanced relationship with the natural world.
Learn more about the UN 2023 SDG Summit here.
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Story
04 September 2023
When Children Want to Study even During the School Break
Not the school break, tropical heat, or supercells prevented the children eager to learn programming from acquiring additional knowledge this summer in the field of their preferred future profession. Python programming and working in its 2D graphics library Pygame, robotics workshops, meeting IT industry professionals and mentors always ready to lift the level just a tiny bit higher, all these things waited for them at the “Summer School of Programming”. Around 50 students of the upper primary schools accepted the challenges gladly. From 28 July to 4 August, in Sremska Mitrovica, they were developing their IT skills and sharing their experiences and knowledge with their peers.
For the attendees of this summer school, programs, codes, seeking solutions, testing and debugging – in short, programming – is a language as easily adopted as reading or writing. “I have certainly been curious by nature, since my earliest childhood. The more you learn, the more curious you get. You get more aware of how little you actually know, and you want to learn more,” honestly reflects Danica Grabovac, a girl who finished seventh grade in Kragujevac, as she eagerly waits for a class dedicated to Microbit* to begin.
Nikolina Zdravković from Padinska Skela is inspired by her two older sister, mathematicians/programmers. As she waits for her first year in the IT class of the First Belgrade Grammar School to commence, she spends a part of her summer holiday studying. “I am currently really interested in this. I came here because I find programming to be highly interesting and it makes me happy. I think I will make this my profession. I don’t have this felling like: Wow, now I do something that my entire future depends on, but I’m having fun.” Once the school year commences, Marko Krstić from Sremska Mitrovica will turn 13. He says that he is good at drawing and he can see himself as an architect, he is interested in electronics and not averse to the world of finance, yet when he talks about programming, he gets emotional: “I love making something myself. I create my own servers. If something I need does not exist, I can make it, or automate the things I like. Currently I am more web-based, I make websites, but I still like Python.”
The summer school’s curriculum is designed to motivate those that are only at the beginning and to stimulate those whose knowledge is more advanced. The six lecturers, students of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Faculty of Technical Sciences, are here to share their knowledge, and help the children with the problems they cannot solve. In the mornings, children learn and work in the classrooms of the IT lab of Sremska Mitrovica Grammar School. The second part of the day is reserved for meetings with mentors, games, sports and excursions.
“We try to find interested and motivated children from all over Serbia and then it is up to us to maintain this motivation of theirs, to offer them some new skills, new knowledge. Then perhaps we might meet again the following year, and continue,” says Katarina Anđelković, Program Director of the Petlja Foundation which has organised this summer school since last year, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The amount of interest for the Summer School of Programming is reflected in the fact that this year, 210 applications had been received, while the selection process resulted in admitting 100 candidates 11 to 14 years old.
“For 2 years now, UNDP, together with our colleagues from the Petlja Foundation and the Ministry of Education, have been inventing and implementing activities that would help children to become ready for the future and the jobs it may have in store for them, that are possibly not invented yet. Every child in Serbia should be given a chance to improve his/her skills, with a window open to new technologies through conversations with IT industry professionals, and offered a safe environment in which they would work together with their peers, learn from them and exchange experiences. The smiles on the children’s faces as they leave the camp and eagerly expect the next one, are the best reward for our efforts,” pointed out Jelena Ružičić, UNDP Portfolio Manager for Digital Innovations.
The Summer School of Programming does not issue diplomas, or certificates, and does not choose the best students, but rather promotes teamwork. “They are here for their own sake and that is the one message that we try to communicate to them” explains Katarina Anđelković. The children have indeed realised that. What is more, they are ready to work on their projects even in their own spare time, in the students’ dormitory where they are accommodated. Marko is one of them: “Python is a programming language that contains different libraries. It also contains different mathematical formulas and you can use it to create all sorts of things. Today I plan to finish my videogame.”
In addition to programming and more than videogames, Danica is interested in electronics. She came to the Summer School of Programming with the well-defined idea that she wants to develop: “I would like to make my own machines. I am currently interested in small kitchen appliances. For example, I have been thinking about making a pancake machine. I had this idea for the design, but I didn’t know how to make the program for it. We need to explain the machine what it needs to do, it won’t work on its own. I knew this was a perfect opportunity. Of course, here we don’t learn how to create a pancake maker, I learn programming and things that would be useful for me anyway.”
Attendees of the Summer School of Programming are children motivated by programming, “The ideal scenario is for them to be stimulated to work additionally after school. We can see this in some children who were here the last year, because they have made so much progress in the meantime. This is due to their efforts. If we can stimulate them to continue working on their own, that is a small victory”, concludes Nevenka Nogo, Project Assistant in the Petlja Foundation. And as the first shift had finished for this year, the second shift started just before the beginning of the regular school year. Another 50 students will learn programming in Sremska Mitrovica 23-30 August.
***
The Summer School of Programming is organized by the Petlja Foundation within the “Building Key Computing Competencies - Towards the Workforce of the Future” implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.
*Microbit is a pocket micro-computer, developed primarily to engage children and attract their interest to programming. It is used as a tool in learning programming, critical thinking and problem solving. The Microbit’s “brain” is an ARM processor, and the main communication with the user is enabled through buttons and light diodes located on the gadget. Additionally, Microbit is equipped with many sensors which enable different interesting applications of this micro-computer.
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Story
04 September 2023
Belgrade Marathon and UNHCR Join Hands in Supporting Youth Centre “Zvezda”
Even since before the signature of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in 2022, the UNHCR and the Belgrade Marathon have been working together on the inclusion of refugees and asylum-seekers into the Serbian society through sports.
Refugees have thus ran in the annual Belgrade Marathon and the annual Women’s Race, and champion guest refugee marathon runners and members of the international Refugee Olympics Team, Yonas Kinde and Tachlowini Gabriyesos, who scored top results in the marathon race, received the recognition for a special contribution as “Heroes of the Belgrade Marathon”.
This year, the cooperation went a step further, when a #ForRefugees team was formed to compete in the races in the 36th Belgrade Marathon on 23 April, also contributing into a joint ad hoc fund, formed by Belgrade Marathon and UNHCR, towards supporting refugees in Serbia. Contributions were received from United Nations staff, staff of foreign embassies and international organisations in Serbia, and, of course, the Serbian citizens.
“Zvezda” Centre in Belgrade was selected as this year’s beneficiary. The Centre cares for local youths leaving foster homes and unaccompanied and separated refugee youths, helping them find their feet upon coming of age for a period of up to two years.
The recent establishment of a new Foundation “Heroes of the Belgrade Marathon” paves the way for Belgrade Marathon and the UNHCR to establish new partnerships that will facilitate refugees’ well being and integration in the Serbian society, and all parties interested in joining in this initiative are welcome to contact:
Vera Dragović O’Donell, dragovic@unhcr.org
Jelena Đurđević, jelena.djurdjevic@bgdmarathon.org
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Story
11 August 2023
International Youth Day: #MLADIGOVORE (Youth have their say) in four municipalities in Serbia
Serbia joins global campaign and marking of the International Youth Day with peer workshops and activities with youth in four local municipalities- Novi Pazar, Kragujevac, Sremski Karlovci and Sombor, within the joint United Nations project “Peer Mentoring Program for promotion of human rights, gender equality and increased youth participation in Serbia."
Marking of the International Youth Day in Serbia is a testament to the energy and dedication of young people in our country. Through the Peer Mentoring Program, we are fostering a culture of empowerment, equality, and participation among the youth. Together, we continue to create opportunities for their voices to be heard and for supporting their actions towards sustainable development."- stated Ms. Francoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia.
“Italy acknowledged the importance of providing opportunities for all young persons to reach their full potential as skilled, creative and resilient people. We recognize the key role of youth in defining the pace and direction of development, reshaping the values and social norms and creating a resilient society for all generations. The “Peer mentoring Program for promotion of human rights, gender equality and increased youth participation in Serbia” contributes to promote a cohesive society in which young people have the opportunities to express their views and shape societal development.”- stated Mr. Luca Gori, Ambassador of Italy to Serbia.
In Kragujevac today, Local Youth Office and City of Kragujevac are organizing a dialogue for young people with the Assistant of the Mayor for Youth and Cooperation with the University of Kragujevac. Tomorrow, through a public art event in Sremski Karlovci young people will present their artistic work related to the most pressing challenges to achieve gender equality, such as: the gender pay gap, uneven distribution of the household labor and gender-based violence. In Sombor, there will be a panel entitled “A Day for Us” where we will hear successful and inspiring stories of some youth activists followed by a couple of gigs of local youth bands. In Novi Pazar, the Local Youth Office will be informing local media about their youth initiatives.
In the past three months, members of the UN Youth Advisory Group have been supporting their peers in Kragujevac, Sremski Karlovci, Sombor, Novi Pazar, Knjazevac and Bajina Basta to create and implement initiatives to increase youth participation, promote human rights, and create space for social engagement of youth at the local level. Some of the local public actions are taking place on the occasion of the International Youth Day.
This project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic and implemented jointly by UNFPA and UN Women in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Youth of the Republic of Serbia.
According to the latest Census data published this year there are 1,047,543 young people in Serbia (15–29 years old) and they make up 15.8% of the population in Serbia.
About the International Youth Day
In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation by the World Conference of Ministers of Youth that 12 August be declared International Youth Day. Over the last two decades of International Youth Day celebrations, several innovative and timely themes have been explored, including mental health, intergenerational solidarity, safe spaces for youth and civic engagement. Today, the world is embarking on a green transition. The shift towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world is critical not only for responding to the global climate crisis but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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Press Release
19 September 2023
Serbia's Commitment to Sustainable Development: Building on Progress, Acting on Necessity
This week, heads of state of 193 countries will gather in New York for the annual General Assembly of the United Nations. 2023 marks the mid-point to agenda 2030 and the ambitious objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals, as set out in 2015. The goals outlined the shared responsibility of each state towards building a better, safer, and more sustainable future for all, while preserving the integrity, richness, and diversity of our planet.
Since early 2020, our world and humanity have been caught in multiple crises with global impacts, such as the COVID19 pandemic, conflicts in Ukraine and the Sahel, extreme weather events with catastrophic consequences on lives and economies, inflation and energy related tensions, increased flows of refugees and migrants fleeing violence and famine. In that context, on September 19, the United Nations organizes the SDG Summit, on the side of the General Assembly. Its main objective is to recognise areas of progress in sustainable development, to highlight the wide gaps remaining in terms of fighting inequalities, climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity. The summit will provide an opportunity to focus on accelerators that can really transform societies and economies.
In the past 3 years, Serbia embraced several such transition and acceleration initiatives. The country now has a national pathway towards sustainable food systems, that looks at how to make food production, distribution, and consumption more in line with sustainability principles: a reduced carbon footprint, elimination of polluting agricultural practices, reduced destructive impact on biodiversity, increased equity for farmers, better health for people. Equally important is the Transforming Education initiative, which looks at how we can build a more inclusive education system, address the risk of increased violence at school and in society, prepare our children to contribute meaningfully to climate and environment actions by becoming responsible citizens.
Other global initiatives taken up by Serbia include the digital transformation and the energy transition. Serbia has led some promising projects in such areas, including in renewable energy and biotechnology. The digitalization of the economy and society, as well as the green transformation and energy transition must be shaped so that the more vulnerable segments of the population are not negatively affected. Such just transition addresses the specific needs of the poorest segments of the population, those directly impacted by mine closure, those at risk of energy poverty or increased pollution – and should be built in coherence with more targeted social protection mechanisms.
Intersectoral effectiveness is an essential accelerator to transformation – the capacity of ministries, national and local governments to work better and more intelligently together. It also means a greater focus on bringing the different stakeholders around the negotiation table, particularly when new laws are being developed and formulated, or when services are being developed in municipalities. In this regards, we hope that Serbia’s future National Development Plan will highlight the opportunities for greater coordination and synergies between sectors and stakeholders. Good engagement between state and non state actors, such as civil society and the private sector, are necessary to build effective and inclusive systems. Civil society and local representatives can provide a wealth of perspective from communities and citizens, while the private sector has the financial and technical capacity to tremendously accelerate any transformation.
Serbia has the right size and capacities to make such transition a success within the next 12 to 15 years, providing that local and national political leaders shape a vision that harnesses the energy of all. Such vision, based on a healthier and safer future, more solidarity and equity, and a greener world, would directly contribute to greater social cohesion. On that note, discrimination based on gender, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, or being a refugee, remains one of the worst impediments to building a resilient and inclusive society, and Serbia needs to continue its efforts to transform and implement all relevant laws and practices.
We have to shift the narrative of our future from one of threats to one of opportunities. With intelligence, flexibility and resilience, together we can build such a different world based on shared wealth, solidarity and peace. The SDG Summit is a great opportunity for us to come together, exchange ideas, and reaffirm our commitment to sustainable development. We hope that Serbia will become a driving force in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Press Release
04 September 2023
Promoting Social Cohesion: Empowering Migrants through Community Activities in Serbia
With a focus on enhancing the quality of time spent in the centers, these activities have proven to be instrumental in fostering social cohesion, improving everyday life, and promoting a sense of community among migrants living in these centers. Currently active in four locations, they have engaged more than 2565 beneficiaries from diverse backgrounds.
Among many useful hobbies for creative expression and skill-building , migrants are engaged in tailoring clothing items such as t-shirts, tracksuits, underwear, and winter hats. This not only provides a practical skill but also offers a means of empowerment . Repairing personal clothing, making towels, and other essential hygienic items used in an eveyday life, also contributes to a sense of self-sufficiency and resourcefulness.
However, these activities go beyond individual skill development. As part of a broader strategy to enrich community-based services and facilitate the integration of migrants into local communities, the initiative includes partnerships with nine civil society organizations. These partnerships were established through Call for Proposals of the International Organization for Migration's (IOM)in cooperation with the Comissariat for Refugees and Migration and the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs. The selected projects and programs enable:
Specialized Protection Services forulnerable migrants, particularly unaccompanied and separated children, victims of gender-based violence, human trafficking survivors, and other individuals in need, ensuring that care, support and protection is provided for those who are most at risk and need.
Intercultural Interchange and Social Cohesion activities, aiming to promote intercultural exchange,understanding and opportunities for inclusion in the communities. The projects provide spaces for direct and meaningful interaction between migrants and local population, especially youth. By organizing numerous joint events, workshops, and activities these initiatives work to foster mutual aceptance, and contribute to a migration narrative based on first-hand insight into migrants’s lives and stories..
This broader approach aims to not only benefit migrants but also create positive ripples within local communities. With active involvement from five Reception and Asylum Centers and 10 local communities, the projects are contributing to the development of harmonious relationships and shared experiences between migrants and locals.
In summary, the proactive efforts to enhance the lives of migrants in Serbia are creating a positive impact on both individuals and communitiesby providing opportunities for skill-building, creative expression, and intercultural interaction, these initiatives are not only supporting the well-being of migrants but also promoting social cohesion and inclusivity within local communities. As the projects continue to unfold, they stand as a testament to the transformative power of collaboration, empathy, and community-driven action.
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Press Release
04 September 2023
"AI and I to SDGs" giveaway contest
Users of the social networks Facebook and Instagram can participate in the giveaway contest by uploading a visual, illustration, photo, or video content created using artificial intelligence tools (e.g. Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, etc.) a creative way to present how they see the Sustainable Development Goals - individual goals of their own choice or overall, with the hashtag #AIzaSDG.
The award competition "AI and I to SDGs" will last from August 17 to September 15, 2023, and the participant who presents the selected SDG most creatively will be awarded Meta Oculus Quest 2 VR glasses.
The jury consisting of Jelena Ružičić, portfolio manager for digital innovations at UNDP, Dr. Dubravko Ćulibrk, director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and Marija Milenković, MIYS, visual content designer, will choose the winner. The terms and conditions of the giveaway can be found in Serbian here.
Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools foster human creativity and enable a deeper understanding of complex problems affecting the environment, society, and economy, opening the door to innovative solutions and sustainable practices. Used consciously, AI tools can play an important role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals globally.
Through data analysis, visualization, and entering adequate inputs and commands, AI can help make these goals easier to understand and achievable, which is the key to achieving sustainable development on a global level.
The SDGs are part of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations, the fulfillment of which the signatory countries, including Serbia, have committed themselves to. These 17 goals are a global call to action to eradicate poverty, protect the environment, mitigate climate change and its consequences, and ensure everyone has equal opportunities to live in peace and prosperity.
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Press Release
04 September 2023
Serbia provides Development Support
Belgrade, 2 August 2023 – In partnership and cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) issues a public call for participation in the Challenge Call intended for private and public enterprises, universities and research institutes in the Republic of Serbia. The aim of this public call is transfer of knowledge and implementation of innovative solutions that may address different developmental challenges and crisis situations in the Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The public call is supported by the Government of the Republic of Serbia as a part of the Official development assistance provided in order to strengthen the economic potentials in North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Legal entities from Serbia may respond to this call with their projects that contain solutions, products or services which have already been successfully applied in Serbia and proven in practice, and that have potential to be spread throughout the region. The projects may be in the following areas:
Food safety and availability
Sustainable tourism
New digital services, solutions and platforms.
These areas have been selected bearing in mind present challenges and disturbances on the global food market, especially in the supply chain, and the need to secure unobstructed access to healthy and safe food to everyone. Development potential of the regional tourism has also been taken into account, as well as its significance for sustainable development, especially when it comes to decreasing amounts of waste, accepting circular economy, promoting local food and culture, and preserving nature and biodiversity. The third area has been selected considering the fact that digital services may help in closing the digital gap, decreasing inequalities and improving the inclusion of vulnerable social groups.
Before sending their applications, the entities from the Republic of Serbia that wish to participate in the Challenge Call, need to establish and develop partnerships with local entities in a country, or countries - where the proposed solution would be implemented. In this way, the awarded funds would contribute to the transfer of knowledge, innovations and practice.
The total amount of funds to be allocated under this call is 200,000 USD. The maximum amount of a grant (non-refundable financial aid) is 40,000 USD per project, while the applicants are obliged to secure co-financing for at least 20% of the total project costs (this may also be a non-financial contribution, i.e. in-kind support).
The public call for applications in this Challenge is open until 10 October 2023.
Please find detailed application instructions HERE, application form HERE, and budget form HERE. The documentation needs to be filled in in English.
Applications, as well as any questions concerning the call, may be sent to the following e-mail address: oda.challenge.rs@undp.org
Also, all potential applicants may find the answers to frequently asked questions HERE.
The previous public call for official development support by the Government of the Republic of Serbia was issued in 2021 and implemented from November 2021 to April 2022. On that occasion, six innovative solutions by Serbian companies and innovators were selected to help their partnering organisations and enterprises in North Macedonia and Albania to alleviate socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The selected solutions included, inter alia, a web and mobile app to access healthcare services remotely, open access digital tool for remote learning, algorithm to precisely interpret results of COVID-19 antibodies testing, as well as development of a digital platform for the assessment of the impact of new investment projects on the environment and society.
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Press Release
04 September 2023
EU supports the improvement of economic infrastructure with 4.6 million Euros
The grants worth over 4.6 million Euros are being provided through the EU PRO Plus programme, which is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration, for projects of construction or reconstruction and infrastructural equipping of industrial zones, tourist zones, as well as for development technical documentation for the development of economic infrastructure.
"Together with the European Union, we are working to create conditions for economic growth, and this support should contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of local self-governments and their ability to implement projects. In 18 cities and municipalities with the European Union grants, economic infrastructure in industrial zones will be improved, as well as tourist infrastructure, which will create conditions for new investments and new jobs, all leading to a better standard of living for citizens," said Tanja Miščević, Minister of European Integration.
"By supporting these projects, the European Union contributes to the improvement of the business and investment climate in Serbia, strengthens competitiveness and creates conditions for achieving better economic results. It is expected that these projects will contribute to over 300 million Euros of new investments and the creation of around 4,500 new jobs within five years after their implementation, while we focused special attention on supporting the economic development of less developed parts of the country", said the Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret.
Of the total allocated funds, 3.1 million Euros will be used for infrastructure equipment, i.e. construction of roads, transformer stations, improvement or construction of communal infrastructure in industrial zones in Valjevo, Šabac, Ćuprija, Preševo and Mionica, reconstruction and equipment of the former textile plant in Bosilegrad, while the regional Smart Centre will be completed in Novi Pazar. The EU will support projects aimed at the development of sustainable tourism in Knjaževac, Aleksinac, Mali Zvornik and Kraljevo with over one million Euros, while Bajina Bašta, Surdulica, Loznica, Paraćin, Zaječar, Kosjerić, Lajkovac will receive support in the amount of over 423,000 Euros to develop technical documentation for development of economic infrastructure, i.e. for the preparation of projects for building permits, project execution designs and feasibility studies. The local self-governments themselves, in proportion to the level of development, provided funds for co-financing in the amount of more than 2.7 million Euros.
These 18 projects were selected through a Public Call conducted by EU PRO Plus in two phases in the period from 26 September 2022 to 29 January 2023.
The list of approved projects is available on the EU PRO Plus programme website: Results of the Public call for economic infrastructure projects .
[1] Valjevo, Šabac, Ćuprija, Novi Pazar, Preševo, Mionica, Bosilegrad, Knjaževac, Aleksinac, Mali Zvornik, Kraljevo, Bajina Bašta, Surdulica, Loznica, Paraćin, Zaječar, Kosjerić, Lajkovac
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Latest Resources
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Resources
04 September 2023
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