Development Cooperation in Serbia

• A stronger democratic state
• Sustainable development
• Improved opportunities for achieving EU membership

The objective of Sweden's development cooperation with Serbia is to strengthen democracy and promote sustainable development in a way that improves the
prospects for membership in the European Union (EU).

Swedish support for Serbia will encourage reforms required for future EU membership by means of initiatives that take account of the Swedish Government's objectives for reform cooperation in Eastern Europe and Sweden's thematic priorities.

The Swedish development cooperation is guided by a strategy valid until 2012. The strategy reflects the fact that development cooperation with Serbia is entering a new phase that will focus on capacity development and knowledge sharing. The Swedish support will focus on a limited number of sectors, and with specific priorities. The two priority sectors are:

Democratic governance and human rights: support reforms for an efficient and democratic government administration, judiciary, fight against crime and corruption, increase respect for and observance of human rights and gender equality.

Natural resources and the environment: contribute to improved environmental infrastructure for waste management and water and sewage treatment, strengthen capacity of government and civil society.

The sectors have been chosen on the basis of Serbia's own priorities, primarily its National Plan for Integration with the EU (NPI), as well as its strategy for sustainable development.

Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Authority, is responsible for the development cooperation with Serbia, with Swedish partners such as Statistics Sweden, the Swedish National Police Board, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, and the Swedish Chemicals Agency. The World Bank, EBRD, UNDP and OSCE are important international partners, and several non-government organisations are engaged, such as the Olof Palme International Center, the Swedish Helsinki Committee and Kvinna till Kvinna.