Italian Ambassador to Serbia H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio and UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia Ms Karla Robin Hershey signed two agreements on co-financing and implementation of two projects in Serbia.
The first co-financed project is dedicated to “training of civil servants for the 21st century in the Republic of Serbia”; the other refers to “the promotion of regional cooperation in the prosecution of war crimes and the search for missing persons.” The ambassador and the Resident Representative expressed their satisfaction with the two initiatives, which enable to intensify assistance to Serbia in the implementation of internal reforms, especially in the area of public administration, as well as to improve the cooperation of partners in the region and stimulate regional reconciliation.
Ambassador Lo Cascio pointed out that projects meet the specific training needs of professionals who will be able to effectively manage the public administration, also to progress in accession negotiations with the EU and to contribute to better regional co-operation.
Ms Hershey stressed that for a stable and robust society, peace, respect for human rights and good governance based on the rule of law are necessary. “Also, we at the UN believe that the continuing education of civil servants is the key to effective public administration. Quality education is one of the most powerful and proven tools for sustainable development,” Hershey added.
Snežana Antonijević, Assistant Director of the National Academy of Public Administration, was also present at the signing ceremony, representing the Serbian competent authorities and beneficiaries of one of the two projects.