In a world where instability seems to be the norm, French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the importance of reliable friends and shared historical ties during his recent official visit to Serbia.
Reflecting on the enduring relationship between France and Serbia, Macron took to X (formerly Twitter), writing in Serbian alongside a photo taken at the Monument of Gratitude to France in Kalemegdan: “It is a genuine joy to return.”
After meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Macron reiterated his firm belief that Serbia belongs in the European Union, stating that a strong Serbia is crucial for a robust and sovereign EU, which in turn is necessary to protect Serbia’s interests. He noted that his return to Serbia was to explore how the two nations could further their collaboration, emphasizing that significant progress has been made in the last five years despite the turbulent international landscape.
“Over the past five years, our bilateral relations and partnership have reached new heights. Our economic cooperation is thriving, with French companies deeply committed to long-term infrastructure projects, including the Belgrade Metro and the modernization of Nikola Tesla Airport,” Macron recalled.
The French Development Agency, which has been active in Serbia since 2019, has allocated nearly €600 million and plans to continue expanding its activities in the country. “Our experts are assisting with reforms and the ecological and energy transition in Serbia. Today’s agreements are vital for this ongoing work,” Macron said, also noting the renewed cultural and intellectual exchanges between the two nations. He reminded that France was a guest of honour at the Belgrade Book Fair just a few months ago.
During the first day of Macron’s two-day visit, twelve agreements were exchanged at the Palace of Serbia, covering a wide range of cooperative efforts between Serbia and France. Among these was a Memorandum of Understanding between the Serbian Government and the French Development Agency, signed by Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and AFD Director-General Rémy Rioux.
Further agreements included a critical Annex to a prior agreement on implementing priority projects in Serbia, exchanged by Serbian Finance Minister Siniša Mali and French Ambassador to Serbia Pierre Cochard. Other significant agreements spanned from environmental partnerships to advancements in the agricultural sector, and from infrastructure development to cultural cooperation.
On the second day of his visit, Macron attended the opening of the “Innovate Together in Europe” Forum on Artificial Intelligence at Schneider Electric in Novi Sad. He announced that France would host a summit on artificial intelligence in February and highlighted Serbia’s pivotal role in the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, currently chaired within the OECD framework.
“If we truly want Europe, including Serbia and France, to be leaders in the field of artificial intelligence, everything must be based on science so that we can innovate,” Macron asserted, underscoring the need for common international standards and a unified approach to AI.
During his visit to the Matica Srpska Gallery in Novi Sad, Macron’s keen interest in the exhibits led to a delay in the protocol by over half an hour. “I only regret that I cannot stay longer,” Macron told RTS, Serbia’s public broadcaster. He later expressed his gratitude for the warm reception on X, writing: “We have significantly advanced the relations between Serbia and France. We will continue forward. You have the friendship and respect of France, as well as my own.”
Photo: Predsedništvo Srbije / Dimitrije Goll