The Minister of Regional Development and Local Self-government Igor Mirović, along with the U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby, the Acting Director of the National Agency for Regional Development (NARD) Milos Ignjatovic and Leskovac Mayor Goran Cvetanovic, will today speak at the promotion of the project "Private Sector Development in South and South West Serbia".

The aim of the project, which is financed jointly by the National Agency for Regional Development and which is implemented  by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship, increase in sales, improvement of exports and creation of new jobs.

The U.S. Embassy announced that the project for the development of the private sector was carried out in 12 economically disadvantaged municipalities in the southern and southwestern Serbia, which include: Leskovac, Vranje, Presevo, Bujanovac, Bujanovac, Raska, Novi Pazar, Sjenica, Tutin, Priboj, Prijepolje and Nova Varos.   

The project for the development of the private sector, which is worth $ 4.1 million, is expected to improve the quality of life in those two regions, helping companies to increase investments and create jobs by expanding the market for their products, it was pointed out in the statement.

The USAID and NARD will help small and medium-sized enterprises to easily enter new markets, improve their management practices and strengthen their productive and trade associations. New companies owned by women and young people will also be offered training courses and grants.

Direct partnership of the USAID and the Government of Serbia on this project is a sign of closer ties between the two governments, it was said in the statement the U.S. Embassy in Serbia.  The project for the development of the private sector will be implemented by NARD, through its network of Regional Development Agencies.

It is estimated that the Regional Development Agencies in Leskovac, Kraljevo, Uzice and Novi Pazar, in cooperation with the Agency for SMEs from Vranje, will provide the assistance to 120 export-oriented companies, and at least four clusters and business associations, so that new jobs could be created, sales and export increased through technical assistance, training and performance at trade fairs.

Source: Tanjug News Agency and Coordination Body