A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) and the Ohio Department of Development (ODD) on Sept. 7–the first economic agreement that CCIS has signed with an American national association to improve economic relations between countries through a US state.
“This is an exceptionally important day for bilateral and economic US-Serbia relations,” said Mihailo Vesović, CCIS director for the Division for Strategic Analyses, Services and Internationalization. „By signing the memorandum between the Chamber and the Ohio Department of Development, we are extending the existing cooperation between the two countries to the civil sector, and this is an important message for American businessbpeople and investors, as well as for Serbian business people.
„We will work on organizing the visit of a business delegation that will go from Serbia to Ohio next year, and I hope that Ohio delegation will also come to Serbia,” he added. „In previous years, CCIS has worked to significantly improve the economic relations between Serbia and the U.S., which are very specific and dominated by the most modern services sector, whereas our exports recorded a surplus with the USA.”
The MoU was signed by Vesović as well as byLydia Mihalik, ODD Director, and the ceremony in the chamber was attended by Maj. Gen. John Harris, who led the state delegation of Ohio visiting Serbia, as well as Marko Djurić, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the U.S. and Christopher Hill, the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia.
“Through this agreement, Ohio and Serbia forge a powerful partnership, united by the shared vision of driving economic growth and prosperity,” said Mihalik. „This collaborative commitment paves the way for innovation, trade, and mutual benefit, as we harness the strength of our regions to create a vibrant and prosperous future.”
Ambassador Djurić described the MoU as “an important seed of cooperation between Serbia and Ohio in the economic sphere has been planted” and expressed his belief that the cooperation would lead to new investments, exchange of experience, and an opportunity to bring economic cooperation between the two countries to a new level.
Photo credit: The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia.
