UNOPS mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Within these three core areas of expertise, UNOPS provides its partners with advisory, implementation and transactional services, with projects ranging from building schools and hospitals, to procuring goods and services and training local personnel. UNOPS works closely with governments and communities to ensure increased economic, social and environmental sustainability for the projects we support, with a focus on developing national capacity.
Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices in development, humanitarian and peacebuilding contexts, always satisfying or surpassing partner expectations.
We employ more than 6,000 personnel and on behalf of our partners create thousands more work opportunities in local communities. Through our headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark and a network of offices, we oversee activities in more than 80 countries.
General Background of Serbia Operations Centre and European PROGRES Programme
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) provides project management, procurement and infrastructure services to governments, donors and UN organizations around the world. In Serbia, it has been present since 2000, primarily funded by the European Union and the Government of Switzerland and latterly by the Kingdom of Norway, with a mission to support the Government of Serbia’s efforts to implement socio-economic reforms on the European integrations path.
The UNOPS Serbia Project Centre (RSPC) was founded in April 2012 and has a present project portfolio of six projects, in the areas of: sustainable municipal development, creating more favourable environment for employability, business and infrastructure growth, enhanced good governance, social inclusion including durable housing solutions for the most vulnerable population and their access to health, education and jobs, implementation of hospital information systems and improvement of public health, but also rehabilitation of the damage incurred during May 2014 floods in Serbia.
European PROGRES is a multi-donor Programme, financed by the European Union (EU), the Government of Switzerland and the Government of Serbia, designed to support sustainable development in the South East and South West Serbia. The Programme has been conceptualised jointly with the European Integration Office of the Government of the Republic of Serbia (SEIO), which has responsibility for monitoring implementation and providing assistance and facilitation. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has been granted with an initial budget of 17.46 million Euros and has the overall responsibility for the Programme implementation.
Through a multi-sector approach this Programme will contribute to sustainable development of underdeveloped areas and creation of more favourable environment for infrastructure and business growth by strengthening local governance, improving vertical coordination, planning and management capacities, improving business environment and development, as well as enhancing implementation of social inclusion and employment policies.
The Programme works towards achieving four main results, while good governance principles are interwoven as a cross cutting aspect of the entire intervention:
1. Strengthened local governance, planning and management capacities through introduction of new, or improvement/elimination of existing procedures and processes in line with the principles of good governance
2. Increased competitiveness of local economy through improved business environment and mangement/organizational capacities of small and medium enterprises/agricultural cooperatives
3. Improved access to employment, offering equal opportunities to both men and women, and social inclusion of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups through development and implementation of local policies resulting in reduced migration from South East and South West Serbia
4. Effects of Serbia’s European accession communicated to general public.
The final beneficiaries, but also the key stakeholders and financial contributors of this Programme are 34 municipalities from the third and fourth group of development level , which have responsibility of taking ownership of activities implemented in their territory:
- Novi Pazar, Ivanjica, Nova Varoš, Priboj, Prijepolje, Raška, Sjenica and Tutin, in the South West Serbia
- Prokuplje, Blace, Žitorađa, Kuršumlija in the Toplica District
- Leskovac, Bojnik, Vlasotince, Lebane, Medveđa and Crna Trava in the Jablanica District
- Vranje, Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Vladičin Han, Preševo, Surdulica and Trgovište in the Pčinja District
- Brus in the Rasinska District
- Aleksinac, Gadžin Han, Doljevac, Merošina and Svrljig in the Niški District
- Babušnica, Bela Palanka in the Pirotski District
- Knjaževac in the Zaječarski District.
Other beneficiaries include municipality-founded institutions and public utility companies, civil society organisations (CSO) and media in the participating municipalities. It is the inhabitants of the South East and South West Serbia who will feel the biggest benefits of the Programme.