Partnership for Community, People and Nature in Focus at the Fifth Steering Committee Meeting

The fifth meeting of the Steering Committee of the "PRO – Local Governance for People and Nature" programme was held today in Belgrade. The meeting brought together nearly thirty representatives of key national institutions, UN agencies, donors, and partner organisations, to present achieved results and planned activities until the end of 2025.

The meeting was opened by Soufiane Adjali, Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia, who emphasised the importance of joint action:

“This initiative is a living example of how the United Nations, together with national and local partners, can deliver transformative change. The Programme exemplifies UN system-wide coherence, where UNOPS, UNFPA, UNICEF and UNEP have transformed potential challenges into opportunities for joint learning and development.”

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Mila Stanković, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, addressed the participants, reaffirming the government’s commitment to local governance reform:

“The Government of the Republic of Serbia, led by the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government as the line ministry, remains committed to public administration reform, of which local self-government reform is an integral part. The PRO Programme has been helping us in this field for many years. The support of the PRO Programme is important to us in all activities and areas related to the reform efforts, as this is a living process where the work is never finished and changes are constantly taking place.”

Representing the donor community, Petar Vasilev, Governance Programme Officer at the Swiss Cooperation Office in Serbia, highlighted Switzerland’s role in the programme:

“Switzerland has been а committed partner to Serbia in promoting democratic reforms and social inclusion, particularly at the local level. Through this Programme we have added a new dimension - environmental governance. We owe this success to a highly dedicated Programme team from multiple UN agencies, and we recognise the important contribution of the relevant Ministries, without whom these results would not be possible.“

Following the opening remarks, a short video presentation showcased the Programme results achieved so far. The next part of the meeting focused on activities implemented with the support of UNFPA, aimed at strengthening intergenerational solidarity and cooperation.

Speaking from a local government perspective, Monika Petronijević, a member of the Municipal Council of Svilajnac, shared insights from her community’s involvement in the Programme:

“We started by mapping resources and needs: schools, local organisations, and institutions got involved, and that’s where we got ideas on how to implement activities in our municipality. We realised how much we need to develop the “silver economy”, encourage intergenerational dialogue, and promote the development of skills. Through workshops, roundtables, and other activities, our goal is to use intergenerational solidarity to help older citizens become more involved in the community and use modern technologies.”

Alongside the establishment of centres for intergenerational cooperation, the Programme has carried out a series of activities aimed at helping older persons improve their digital skills and literacy. As a good practice example, a video on digital literacy of older persons was presented, highlighting the importance of including vulnerable groups for building more equal and inclusive communities.

The following segment featured the presentation of a roadmap outlining key plans in the areas of good governance, social inclusion, and environmental governance until the end of 2025.

In addition to the Steering Committee members and observers, the meeting was also attended by representatives of the World Bank and the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia. The meeting concluded with a strong emphasis on dialogue, synergy, and joint planning as the foundation for continued activities and the next phase of the Programme.

The Programme "PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature" is jointly implemented by the United Nations agencies in Serbia - UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNEP, in cooperation with the Government of Serbia, and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland.