Serbia
 |
Embassy |
|---|---|
 |
Mission / Delegation / Permanent Representation |
 |
Consulate general |
 |
Honorary representation |
 |
Cooperation office |
 |
Contribution Office |
 |
Embassy with Cooperation Office |
 |
Embassy with Regional consular center |
 |
Swiss Business Hub |
 |
Swissnex |
 |
City |
 |
Capital |
 |
Disputed border |
 |
River |
 |
Lake |
The collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s severely affected Serbia’s economy and infrastructure. The country has made considerable progress since then, however. In 2014, negotiations on membership with the EU began, many promising reforms for public administration and the economy were decided, and unemployment began to fall. Nevertheless, major challenges remain to ensure prosperity for all. Many people are living in poverty, and unemployment is high, especially in rural areas. The economy is growing only slowly and the EU accession negotiations are also only advancing at a slow pace.
Swiss Bilateral ODA |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 * |
|---|---|---|---|
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) |
|
|
|
Bilateral development cooperation |
10.88 |
10.56 |
12.50 |
Humanitarian aid |
- |
- |
- |
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) |
|
|
|
Economic Cooperation and Development |
7.88 |
11.77 |
15.92 |
Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) |
|
|
|
Conflict transformation and human rights |
- |
0.10 |
- |
Total SDC/SECO/PHRD |
18.76 |
22.43 |
28.42 |
Other Federal Offices |
|
|
|
Other FDFA Divisions (ASAF, AIO, aso) |
- |
- |
.. |
Network of FDFA representations abroad |
1.32 |
1.53 |
.. |
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) |
0.71 |
0.90 |
.. |
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) |
0.06 |
0.05 |
.. |
MeteoSwiss |
- |
- |
- |
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) |
- |
- |
- |
Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) |
- |
- |
.. |
Federal Statistical Office (FSO) |
- |
- |
- |
Total other Federal Offices |
2.09 |
2.48 |
- |
Cantons and municipalities |
- |
.. |
.. |
Total |
20.85 |
24.91 |
28.42 |
Data status at 01.05.2023
* planned; total based on available data
.. = figures not available | – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF
Democratic governance
Switzerland is supporting Serbia in the process of decentralisation. It is helping to make local administrations and governments transparent and efficient to enable them to provide high-quality services in line with the needs of the population as a whole and those of the private sector. Citizens, municipalities and civil society organisations are being helped to ensure that the interests and needs of all are taken into account at both local and national levels and that government is made accountable.
Economic development and employment
Switzerland is working in Serbia to promote sustainable economic growth. To achieve this, the framework conditions for Serbian companies are being improved to give them easier access to foreign markets and financing opportunities. In addition, Switzerland is promoting increased innovation and entrepreneurship to increase their competitiveness. It is facilitating the development of an efficient and effective finance administration that is both transparent and accountable. In order to reduce the high level of unemployment, market-oriented vocational training is being expanded, especially for young people and disadvantaged groups
Sustainable energy management and urban development
Improved energy efficiency and greater use of renewable energy sources not only contribute to lower CO2 emissions but also help meet the conditions for EU membership. Switzerland is supporting Serbia with innovative projects to further promote renewable energies, such as biomass and geothermal sources, thus reducing CO2 emissions. More efficient energy use is being achieved through rehabilitating district heating systems and renovating public buildings. Long-term energy planning and improvements to the administration of urban infrastructure is also expected to enable cities and municipalities to be better prepared for possible threats.
Migration
The aim of the migration partnership concluded between Switzerland and Serbia in 2009 is to address together the challenges of migration and exploit the economic and social potential to their mutual advantage. Various measures to achieve this are being supported, such as the reintegration of returnees and the prevention of irregular migration
Approaches and partners
Switzerland is coordinating its transition cooperation closely with local authorities, other donor countries and international organisations such as the EU, UN and the international financial institutions. All programmes of the SDC and State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) integrate the principles of good governance and gender equality.
Important partners for Switzerland in Serbia:
- Ministries, city and municipal authorities, national-level local authority associations
- Swiss and local NGOs.
- Bilateral and multilateral partners: the EU, Germany, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), UNDP, UNICEF, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), KfW Group (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau).
Links
Documents
Current projects
Selection
Contribution to implementation of SCTM Strategic Plan
01.01.2023
- 31.12.2026
This contribution will support the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) to implement its cross-sectoral strategic plan, promoting decentralization, good governance and local governance reforms and assisting the implementation of the Serbian Government’s Local Government Reform Programme. SCTM will improve capacities of local governments (LG) to act efficiently, accountably, in the best interest of citizens, and defend LG interests at the central level.
SME Hub - Connecting Private Service Providers, Public Agencies and SMEs
01.07.2022
- 30.09.2028
In order to grow and create more and better jobs and higher incomes for their workforce, Serbian manufacturing companies urgently need to raise productivity. The most productive ones are those that manage to access the supply chains of large, export-oriented corporations. By partnering with the private sector, Switzerland aims to bundle and connect the so-far fragmented services and subsidies of relevant private and public actors into an accessible offer tailor-made to the needs of SMEs- the SME Hub.
Civil society resilience strengthening
18.02.2022
- 17.02.2027
This project, in delegated cooperation with USAID, supports democratic development in Serbia by fostering an enabling environment for civil society and strengthening its resilience. It improves capacities of civil society to perform its monitoring and advocacy roles, to facilitate citizen’s engagement and to engage in constructive dialogue with the government. Ultimately, this leads towards a more resilient, inclusive and pluralistic society.
Municipal Development in Eastern Serbia
01.05.2021
- 30.04.2025
Culture for Democracy
15.07.2020
- 28.02.2025
The Project supports the independent cultural sector to contribute to improved social cohesion and tolerance at the local level. Cultural actors will be provided with resources to unleash their potential for triggering critical thinking and dialogue around topics of immediate relevance for their communities, as well as for creating networks that will empower and enable them to uphold a stimulating space for promoting pluralistic values and inter-cultural dialogue in Serbia.
From Education to Employment (E2E)
01.01.2020
- 31.03.2024
The E2E program supports direct labor market measures in 5 locations in Serbia, through Career Guidance and Counselling and an Opportunity Fund for companies and training providers targeting 12'000 young women and men, of whom 20% vulnerable. Based on Work Based Learning (WBL) that will generate a minimum of 625 decent jobs for young people, the program will contribute to the re-design of inclusive and innovative youth employment measures and policies.
Housing solutions for displaced persons
01.03.2019
- 30.06.2024
As a consequence of the war in the 1990s, over three million people were displaced both within and beyond the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Twenty-five years after the Dayton Accords, the Western Balkans are still host to almost half a million vulnerable persons displaced by conflict in the former Yugoslavia. The Regional Housing Programme (RHP) aims to provide durable housing solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons in need.
| Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Western Balkans |
Migration
Forced displacement (refugees, IDP, human trafficking)
|
01.03.2019 - 30.06.2024 |
CHF 1’555’000 |
Coordination and society-wide dialogue on implementing the 2030 Agenda in Serbia - SDGs for all
01.03.2019
- 30.09.2022
The project is a contribution to support an innovative society-wide dialogue on the priorities of Agenda 2030, which leads to citizen-oriented and inclusive policies that contribute to sustainable development. Civil society is supported to influence development priorities through multi-stakeholder platforms, the Government is strengthened to better coordinate and finance Agenda 2030 implementation and the quality and availability of data for Agenda 2030 implementation is improved.
Programme contribution to Brot für alle / Bread for all 2019-2020
01.01.2019
- 31.12.2020
Bread for all (Bfa), the development organization of the protestant churches of Switzerland, has aligned its mandate with the Agenda 2030. Through a network of ten faith-based organizations active in partner countries, Bfa supports disadvantaged people to access Food Security, Education and Health. It also strengthens communities in peacebuilding and conflict transformation, while furthering the social responsibility of Swiss stakeholders.
Institutional Support to Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities
01.10.2018
- 31.12.2022
SDC is providing an institutional contribution to the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) to lead policy dialogue, advocacy and represent interests of local governments (LGs) before the central government in policy and law making. SCTM will promote decentralisation in Serbia together with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self Government, and support its member LGs to implement adopted laws and pursue reforms, ultimately bringing benefits to all citizens, men and women, in all sectors governed by LG.
Private Sector Development in Southwest Serbia
01.08.2018
- 31.01.2020
The Project – a mandate to the Regional Development Agency Zlatibor – will contribute to increased income and employment opportunities of Southwest Serbia’s inhabitants, especially young people and women. This will be achieved by improving the performance (inclusive growth and access to relevant services) of the tourism and traditional products sectors. The project is an essential part of SDCs commitment towards supporting growth of income and employment through private sector development in Serbia.
Support to strengthening Social Inclusion in Serbia
01.01.2018
- 31.12.2021
The programme is a contribution to improve the design, coordination and implementation of social inclusion policies of the Government of Serbia within the mandate of the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit (SIPRU), which is affiliated to the Prime Minister’s Office. The quality and the capacities for implementation of the required social reforms, in the Europan integration process, will be improved and state institutions at national and local level will be able to better respond to the needs of vulnerable citizens.
