On April 12, 2020, the Serbian-American Friendship Congress (SAFC) and Color Media Communications (CMC) held a conference titled “ONE YEAR LATER: Serbian-American Relations Facing the COVID-19 Challenges,” discussing the relationship between the two countries over the past year of the pandemic. Among the speakers were Zorana Mihajlović, Vice President of the Government of the Republic of Serbia; Vladimir Marinković, founder of SAFC; Anthony Godfrey, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia; Robert Čoban, President of Color Press Group; Steve Stivers, Congressman and Vice President of the Serbian Caucus; and Derek Mitchell, President of the National Democratic Institute. The conference was opened by Ivica Dačić, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.
At the beginning of the conference, Dačić emphasized that both Serbia and the USA deserve to discuss their mutual cooperation, noting that relations between the two countries are a political priority for Serbian state policy.
“Throughout much of our history, the relationship between our two countries has been one of partnership, solidarity, and brotherhood, and we must not forget that. We have faced a difficult year during which the same threat knocked on the doors of both rich and poor nations. We were all exposed to the same danger, and in such times, little can help except joint efforts and solidarity,” Dačić said.
Vladimir Marinković, founder of the Serbian-American Friendship Congress and a member of the National Assembly, assessed that Serbia managed to improve relations with the United States even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed significant challenges for health, the economy, and jobs.
“I would like to remind you that Serbia and the USA have continuously developed their relationship, as evidenced by the signing of the Washington Agreement and the Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreement, which paved the way for the activities of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) in Serbia, signed on January 21. This marks a new era in our relations. These activities contribute to improving political relations and cooperation between the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the U.S. Congress and Senate. We are pleased to gain new friends in Congress and the Senate every day, thanks in part to the efforts of Serbian Ambassador to the USA, Marko Durić. It is particularly important to note that the USA has no greater ally in this part of Europe than Serbia, which is why we will strive to continue cooperation in all important areas and further strengthen our relationship in the future,” Marinković added.
“Today, we heard interesting facts about what Serbia and the USA have done over the past year in terms of fighting COVID-19, how they have organized healthcare, vaccination, and economic recovery, all within the context of 140 years of diplomatic and bilateral cooperation. America is an important trade partner for Serbia, and American companies, ranging from small businesses to global corporations, have invested over 14 billion euros and employ over 95,000 people in the country. The U.S. government also invests through various funds in Serbia, the DFC office has announced its investments, and it seems that the political relations between the two countries have taken a completely new direction, which we will see in the near future, as highlighted by today’s conference. We had very important speakers from both sides, Serbian and American, who hopefully provided answers and insights on these issues,” said Robert Čoban, President of Color Press Group and co-organizer of the conference.
Zorana Mihajlović, Vice President of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Minister of Mining and Energy, highlighted that she believes further development of relations between the two countries is possible in key areas for the future, such as climate change, environmental protection, green energy, and more.
“Serbia, in the context of the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has shown strength, stability, and organization, managing to preserve the economy, invest significant funds in healthcare, and secure vaccines from four different manufacturers for its citizens. Now it is crucial for all of us to get vaccinated, as it is the main condition for returning to pre-pandemic life as soon as possible. I also believe that this crisis has prompted us to look ahead and further enhance our relations with the world’s most developed countries. I believe there is much room to improve political and economic relations between Serbia and the USA and, in the year we celebrate 140 years of diplomatic relations, open new horizons for our cooperation, particularly in areas that will define the coming decades, such as combating climate change, environmental protection, and green energy, and thus creating space for new investments,” Mihajlović said.
U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey stated that he is always pleased to participate in events organized by SAFC and expressed gratitude to SAFC founder Vladimir Marinković and Serbian Vice President Zorana Mihajlović for their efforts to enhance the bilateral relationship.
“This year we mark 140 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Serbia and the USA, and during this time, we have achieved significant cooperation in the fields of economy, politics, and culture. Today we discuss the partnership between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I can say that Serbia has been a good friend and partner during this time. Serbia organized special flights for American citizens, donated protective equipment and tests, and distributed vaccines in the region,” Godfrey said, emphasizing the importance of the Development Partnership Agreement signed with USAID and the arrival of the DFC.
He added that he is particularly proud of the collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development planned for the next 10 years, as well as cooperation in the Ministry of Mining and Energy.
SAFC and CMC organized the conference “Serbian-American Relations Facing COVID-19 Challenges” in April 2020, discussing how relations and cooperation between Serbia and the USA would evolve in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This conference served as an evaluation of forecasts and a summary of the past year in terms of bilateral relations.
