USD 370 million of support for Serbia's economic development by USAID in 15 years

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While talking about the completion of the Sustainable Local Development Project, Scott said that the support by the USAID to 32 municipalities in eight districts in Serbia in the past six years had contributed to the arrival of hundreds of millions of dollars of investments, the opening of thousands of job positions and the access to foreign markets.

Local self-governments of Vranje, Nis, Novi Pazar, Kraljevo, Uzice, Novi Sad, Subotica and Zrenjanin participated in the project.

Support was given to jeans manufacture in Novi Pazar, footwear and furniture manufacture in South and South-East Serbia, production of food in Vojvodina, stated Scott and added that he wore quality Novi Pazar jeans and shoes from Vranje.

– If they wish to persevere and thrive, Serbian companies need to expand to the international market – Scott said and noted that advanced technologies led to improved competitiveness.

– The modern consumer has the luxury of choice. The global market demands a change in standards, production processes, communication with buyers. This is a difficult task and the essence of what it means to be an entrepreneur – Scott stated.

He estimated that small and medium enterprises had the potential to succeed in the international market and that the local economic development in Serbia had huge potential, which needed to be realized.

– The aim of the project was to open new job positions in the cities where unemployment was the highest. The project has been completed successfully – Scott said.