Draskovic: Strategic dialogue between Serbia and the U.S. opens the door to new investments

Ana Draskovic, Chairwoman of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia, stated today that the strategic dialogue between Serbia and the United States creates new opportunities for investment and technology exchange, RTV reported.

She emphasized that the strategic dialogue between Serbia and the United States represents an important step toward strengthening the economic ties between the two countries and opens up new opportunities for the Serbian economy and its citizens.

According to Draskovic, this framework enables new investments, technology transfer, and enhanced cooperation in sectors where American companies are global leaders, such as innovation and digitalization.

“This is certainly excellent news for all of us in Serbia—for our economy and for our citizens—because it opens up a new space for economic cooperation, new investments, and technology exchange,” Draskovic told RTS.

She added that the strategic dialogue is, above all, a platform that should now be utilized through concrete projects.

“This platform creates significant opportunities, and it is now up to us to capitalize on them through concrete projects,” she stressed.

Speaking about the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS), Draskovic said that the final decision rests with the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), but noted that a more intensive dialogue would certainly provide greater scope for discussions.

“What we know for certain is that when there is stronger and more intensive dialogue, there is also greater room for discussions and for resolving problems,” Draskovic said.

Discussing the significance of the agreement for the member companies of the American Chamber of Commerce, which brings together more than 270 international, American, and Serbian companies employing approximately 120,000 people, she said that it primarily creates new investment opportunities and facilitates knowledge exchange.

She recalled that, within the framework of the strategic dialogue, two Memoranda of Understanding had already been signed—one on academic cooperation and another on cooperation in the field of energy—representing the first concrete areas in which further progress can be expected.

Regarding the energy sector, Draskovic assessed that there is substantial potential for cooperation with American investors, particularly in the modernization of infrastructure, the development of new energy sources, transmission systems, and the application of advanced technologies.

As an example, she cited Romania, which, following the establishment of its strategic dialogue with the United States, secured additional financing from development banks for the modernization of its energy infrastructure and the construction of new energy capacities.

“This is an extremely important step, both for the stability of the energy system and because it provides a significant competitive advantage for the economy,” she said.

Speaking about the conditions sought by investors, Draskovic emphasized that security and predictability are essential for making business decisions.

“Investors seek security and predictability. We have an outstanding talent pool. With the appropriate institutional framework in place, we are certainly on the right path,” Draskovic stated.

According to her, a predictable business environment entails a stable regulatory framework and macroeconomic conditions that enable companies to plan their operations over the long term.

Looking ahead, she said that the greatest potential for new investments lies in high technology, digitalization, telecommunications, and the energy sector.

She also cited Poland as an example of successful cooperation, noting that, through its strategic dialogue with the United States, the country modernized its 5G network and developed new semiconductor manufacturing capacities.

Referring to bilateral trade, Draskovic pointed out that merchandise trade between Serbia and the United States exceeded USD 1 billion last year, while trade in services amounted to more than USD 2.5 billion.

She further noted that American companies have invested nearly USD 5 billion in Serbia to date and employ approximately 22,000 people, expressing confidence that this positive trend will continue in the coming period.