Posted on : 11/17/2019

The Minister of Mining and Energy, Mr. Aleksandar Antić, met on 28 October 2019 with the UNDP Resident Representative in Serbia, Ms. Francine Pickup.

The meeting confirmed the very successful cooperation between the Ministry of Mining and Energy with the United Nations Development Programme in Serbia. This cooperation has continued since 2013 through implementation of a number of projects and activities, particularly the project aimed at developing the biomass market and the project introducing the energy management system across the public sector in Serbia.

The meeting stated that UNDP will continue to support the Ministry in its efforts to reform the Serbian energy market and promote the development of investment-friendly conditions, and more intensive utilisation of renewable energy sources, thus assisting Serbia to maintain its leading position in the region with respect to renewable energy sources.

UNDP considers that there is a need to additionally support the improvement of energy efficiency in all sectors of energy use, particularly on the side of final consumption, which would create the preconditions to improve the competitiveness of the economy and reduce the negative environmental impacts of the energy sector. That is why the future joint projects and activities will be focused on further development of the energy management system as the main pillar of the Law on Efficient Use of Energy. In addition to that, particular attention will be paid to the buildings sector as the sector with most intensive energy consumption sector.

In addition to projects in which the Ministry of Mining and Energy is the direct implementing partner, UNDP is implementing a series of other projects with other ministries working on related issues. In all these projects UNDP is working on providing information and cooperation and assisting inter-sectoral cooperation of all relevant institutions.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Žarko Petrović, UNDP programme analyst, Ms. Maja Matejić, UNDP energy portfolio manager, Mr. Miloš Banjac, assistant minister, and Ms. Jasminka Hadžiabdić, special advisor to the minister.