Vucic: Serbia to sign major energy agreement with US next week

autor:

10. okt. 2024. 14:53

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Serbia will sign a major energy agreement with the US next Wednesday, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic following his meeting with US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose Fernandez held Thursday in Belgrade.

“We will sign an extremely important energy agreement next week. Implementing that energy agreement will mean a lot for our country in the future and secure what is important and what will be providing us with electricity literally for years, which is not easy in the modern world. The agreement will be signed on Wednesday,” Vucic told a media conference.

He thanked the US official for visiting Serbia.

“It is both an honor and a privilege for us, and an opportunity to discuss the most important, or one of the most important aspects of our relations with the US. We had a good, long and substantial discussion,” Vucic said.

Fernandez: Serbia a key partner in the region

Serbia is a constructive partner of the US and a key partner on many important regional issues, including energy and economic integration, Fernandez said following his meeting with Vucic.

He said he came to Serbia at a good time, when it gained investment grade status and when it is expected to grow twice the level of the European economy.

He welcomed the development of the Serbian economy, its focus on the industries of the future, on technology, on things that will, in a generation from now, continue to improve the economy, he said.

Serbia part of Minerals Security Partnership

Fernandez recalled that Serbia and the US signed in September in Washington an Agreement on Strategic Cooperation in the Field of Energy, which will pave the way for easier investments by American companies in Serbia’s energy sector. He added that Serbia has joined the Minerals Security Partnership.

Serbia will collaborate with us and our global partners - 14 countries and the EU - to develop sustainable supply chains for critical minerals, Fernandez said.

Fernandez said that Rio Tinto’s Jadar project would benefit Serbia and other countries facing global climate changes, adding the Serbia should us the generational challenge which will bring benefits and account for between 1 and 3 percent of the GDP.