Belgrade, 30 June 2023 – The "Sustainable Investment Promotion" forum was held today in the Palace of Serbia, organised by the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The "UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Investor Map" was presented to the public for the first time at this event. The forum was organised with the aim of encouraging companies to operate in a way that brings them profit, while at the same time contributing to the country's economic growth, environmental protection and social well-being.

On opening the forum, the Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Tomislav Momirović, said that respect for the sustainable development principles is becoming increasingly important for decision makers globally.

"The sectors and areas that are presented today in the Map are certainly among the Government’s work priorities. In these areas, we expect a higher inflow of private capital, which is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and creating an economy based on respect for all global resources - both human and natural," said Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade Tomislav Momirović.

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Chen Bo pointed out that sustainable development is necessary for the prosperity and progress of human society and is a common issue for all mankind.

"China supports and practices the UN 2030 Agenda, adheres to the new development concept that includes innovation, coordination, green development, openness and sharing, and is committed to promoting Chinese-style modernisation. I hope that the publication of this investment opportunities map will help Chinese companies to better understand the business environment in Serbia, the industrial development plans and policies and to create more opportunities for cooperation", added the Ambassador of the PR China to Serbia.

"Using the already proven UNDP global methodology, applied in over 30 countries of the world, together with the Government and competent institutions, we have determined which areas in Serbia offer the best opportunities for sustainable investments." We have identified five sectors that represent profitable opportunities for sustainable investments: food and beverages, renewable energy sources and alternative energy, infrastructure, technology and communications, and health care," said Yakup Beris, UNDP Serbia Resident Representative.

The map that was presented at the Forum identifies areas and models for investments in Serbia that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and are in line with the national development needs and priorities of the Government of Serbia.

The most attractive areas for sustainable investments are the production of fresh fruit and vegetables, organic agricultural production, solar energy production and the construction of wind farms, the development and application of smart technologies in agriculture, as well as the development and application of sophisticated software products and services, as well as the provision of waste management services, construction and management of port infrastructure, construction of energy-efficient residential buildings, construction and management of hospitality facilities, as well as  the production and delivery of medicines, development and provision of digital and specialised health services and the use of biotechnology in medicine.

On the Map, potential investors can find information about how much money needs to be invested in individual projects in these areas, how much return on investment they can expect and in what time frame, how this type of investment is aligned with the national development priorities, as well as specific SDGs to the achievement of which their sustainable investment would contribute.

The map is available at the following link: https://sdginvestorplatform.undp.org/country/serbia.

The "Sustainable Investments Promotion" forum brought together representatives of state authorities, the private sector, foreign investors, investment experts, representatives of development agencies, the academic community and the civil society organisations.

Two panels were held within the forum. At the panel on sustainable investment opportunities in Serbia, company representatives discussed the importance of sustainable investment projects for the business sector. In the second panel, representatives of financial institutions and banks exchanged ideas on the opportunities for securing capital and financing investments in line with the SDGs.

The sustainable development goals are part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, to the achievement of which the member states, including Serbia, have committed themselves. These 17 goals are a global call to action to eradicate poverty, protect the environment, mitigate climate change and its consequences, and ensure that all people have equal opportunities to live in peace and prosperity.

This event was held as part of the "Sustainable Investment Promotion" project, financed by the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund and implemented by the UNDP.