BELGRADE – 21 May, 2018 – General Assembly of the Japan Business Association in Serbia (JBAS), was held today in the Development Agency of Serbia (RAS), within the joint activities on improving the economic cooperation of Serbia and Japan.  

Representatives of JBAS in the General Assembly were greeted by the Acting Director of RAS Radoš Gazdić, who emphasized the importance of the cooperation of Serbia and Japan.

In the light of a better connection of Serbia and Japan, as stated, RAS works closely with the Japanese institution “JICA” (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and “JETRO” (Japan External Trade Organisation).  

The years of cooperation with JICA on the project of “Establishing and promoting the mentoring services for MSPP in the West Balkan countries” is very significant, and currently we are having the second phase of the project, which covers the period 2017-2020, says the Head of the Planning and Development Sector in the RAS Ana Žegarac. 

Ms Žegarac has underlined that the project is actually closing up the cycle of the standardised mentoring service in Serbia, and the follow-up of the transfer of Serbian expertise in the field mentoring to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Macedonia, with the support of Japanese experts.

“That project is the result of a perennial successful cooperation and is the only JICA project having the regional character with RAS as a partner in the transfer of the Serbian model of standardized mentoring service to the countries in the region. Also, this is a rare example that JICA supports the fourth consecutive project in one country”, added Ms Žegarac. 

A public call for the implementation of standardised mentoring service, intended for micro, small, medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs, as well as cooperatives, is open staring of 1 June this year. More information can be found at the page HERE, and there is a mail address: mentoring@ras.gov.rs or a phone number: 011/3398 809.

Cooperation between RAS and JBAS was defined by the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in February this year.

General Assembly was attended by around 30 JBAS members, and a presentation was also given by the organisation SOS Children’s villages of Serbia.