Cooperation Strategy Serbia 2010 - 2013 - Deza - admin.ch

SWISS COOPERATION
Executive Summary
Serbia has experienced considerable economic
growth in recent years and is now a country
with a clear European orientation and strong
will to take the social inclusion agenda forward.
The Cooperation Strategy 2010-2013, therefore,
builds on past programme experience and
makes use of new opportunities to align itself
with Serbia’s policies and strategies. While the
Strategy thus has elements of continuity, it is
also designed to adjust to emerging challenges,
including the repercussions of the global economic
crisis on Serbia.
Serbia has begun defining and implementing
reforms in many sectors, with the aim of improving
state effectiveness and fulfilling the criteria
for becoming a European Union (EU) candidate
country. However, overall progress with modernizing
the judiciary, combating corruption and
implementing decentralization has been slower
than expected. Respect for human rights and
the integration of minorities remain challenges,
despite the fact that minorities are officially
recognized and an anti-discrimination law has
recently been passed.
From 2006 to 2008, annual real Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) growth rates ranged from
5.5% to 7.5%, while poverty rates decreased
from 8.8% to 6.6% of the population. GDP per
capita reached USD 7,000 in 2008, placing
Serbia firmly in the upper bracket of middle-income
countries. The official unemployment rate
in 2008 remained at a high 14%, with vulnerable
sections of society such as young people
and minorities especially badly hit. As a consequence
of the global economic crisis, Serbia’s
economy has contracted by an estimated 3%
in 2009 and it is anticipated that growth will
resume in 2010.
After years of positive trends, poverty has recently
increased again to 7.9%. This affects the elderly,
young people and children in particular. In addition,
as many as 20% of the population live
just above the poverty line and are vulnerable
to external shocks. As in other countries in the
region, the Roma population and the other 20
recognized “national minorities” are in a difficult
situation, both economically and socially. As
a response to these social challenges, the government
has decided to draw up and implement
social inclusion policies as well as a comprehensive
migration management strategy. Both are
essential to the EU integration process.
Switzerland established a humanitarian aid programme
in Serbia in 1991. This was phased out
only recently. In 2001, an emergency assistance
programme was launched to support the incoming
democratic government. This was followed
by the development of a medium-term cooperation
programme for 2002 to 2006. In addition,
the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) financed
significant return assistance and reconstruction
programmes throughout this period. The
last Cooperation Strategy covered the period
from 2007 to 2009. Its relevance with regard to
national priorities was high, and implementation
effective. Switzerland consequently continues to
enjoy an excellent reputation, owing to its focus
on achieving results, its flexibility of approach
and its strong partnership orientation.
The overall goals of the Cooperation Strategy
2010-2013, related to European integration,
and the four domains (Economic Development,
Rule of Law and Democracy, Education, Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy), are well in
line with the government’s priorities, as formulated
in several strategic documents.
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