PRESS RELEASE
On April 2, 2008, USAID’s Contingency Planning Program will sign Memoranda of Understanding with six Vojvodina municipalities: Bečej, Bela Crkva, Kovačica, Plandište, Sečanj and Žitište. U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Cameron Munter will address participants at a ceremonial event that will gather representatives from the Assembly of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the Provincial Executive Council, the Secretariat for Local Self-Government, the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, as well as mayors and local officials from all six municipalities.
Mr. Michael Pillsbury, the Director of USAID’s Contingency Planning Program, will sign the Memoranda of Understandings with mayors of the six municipalities.
The purpose of the MoU is to formalize the joint commitment of the six local governments and USAID's Contingency Planning program and define the roles and responsibilities for both parties in strengthening local capacity to plan for and respond to natural disasters, crises and emergencies. The aim of this U.S assistance program is to help municipalities be more resilient to disasters and emergencies by supporting efforts that address preparedness, response, recovery and prevention. The program helps municipalities meet international standards in disaster preparedness. Municipalities meeting these standards will receive certification in disaster resilience.
The experience of the 2005-2006 floods demonstrated that cooperation between local and republic authorities and a well-coordinated municipal disaster management structure is critical to quick and efficient disaster response and recovery. With the addition of these six new municipalities, the program will be working with 41 municipalities throughout Serbia on preparedness and planning strengthening.
USAID has dedicated $45 million to support the efforts of Serbian municipalities to improve disaster response and resilience, and economic security and opportunity for the Serbian people: $19 million through our Contingency Planning program and $25 million through the Municipal Economic Growth Activity. By 2011 we will have worked with over 70 municipalities across Serbia.
Journalists interested in attending the signing ceremony are kindly invited to be at the Assembly building of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in Novi Sad (President of Assembly’s Stateroom), on April 2, 2008 at 10:45 a.m.
For more information about this event or this USAID program please contact Jasmina Debeljak Maljković at 063 320 9469,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
, or Slobodan Perovic at (011) 363 9900,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
. For more information about USAID programs in Serbia please visit http://serbia-montenegro.usaid.gov