WASHINGTON – The U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez and Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić signed an agreement on U.S.-Serbia strategic cooperation in the field of energy in Serbia on Wednesday in Washington, the State Department stated. The press release said that the agreement will expand opportunities for U.S. companies to invest in Serbia’s energy sector, including promoting U.S. investments that will strengthen the U.S.-Serbia strategic partnership.
“The United States strongly endorses the high standards of openness and transparency in public procurement that are set out by multilateral organizations, including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization (WTO), and encourages Serbia to join us in adopting these standards”, the State Department clarified.
It was stressed that the agreement represents a multi-year effort, involving the close attention of specialists from five U.S. agencies and that such a commitment of resources reflects the U.S. Government’s strong support for U.S. investors and clean energy projects, as a means to drive a green transition and sustainable development.
Đurić, after signing this document, said that Serbia had taken an important step towards improving its partnership with the United States and a step towards ensuring long-term energy security.
According to the statement of the Government of Serbia, Đurić explained that this document would facilitate the green transition in Serbia and enable better access to clean energy, which is in line with its European aspirations.
He pointed out that this agreement also sends a strong message about Serbia’s commitment to improving overall relations with the United States and that we are one step closer to a strategic partnership and strategic, good, long-term relations with the United States.
“I believe that this is responsible and state-building behaviour and that both Serbian and American energy companies, but above all the citizens of Serbia, will benefit from this agreement, which will result in a more reliable, safer and long-term stable supply in the conditions in which our industry and economy they are developing day by day”, Đurić said.
Fernandez assessed that the signing of this agreement will raise Serbian-US cooperation to a higher level, adding that the United States is satisfied with the fact that cooperation with Serbia in the field of clean energy will continue.
“Climate change is the challenge of our time, but it is also an opportunity to invest in the energy of the future, and the first step was taken today”, Fernandez underlined.